This had to be one of the best strategic races in recent memory!

I think with Red Bull in the midfield at the start the other teams really believed that they had a legitimate chance at winning and all brought their A game.

FERRARI
I saw the old Ferrari yesterday. It was all about the team and working collectively to win the race. The strategy exhibited by them yesterday was akin to the days of old when Ross Braun would tell Michael “please give me 4 more seconds” and he would crack off a blazing lap. Sainz gave a master class in managing the pace and maintaining the gap and he definitely deserved to win.

MERCEDES
I believe they had a great strategy as well and it was nice to see the drivers not whining for a change. They both believed that they had a legit chance to win but worked together for the greater good. I was really impressed with Russell’s driving…right up to the end where he just kissed the wall and ended his race.

RED BULL
I was at a loss to understand their strategy even though I understood it. They were planning on out lasting everyone on their hard tires in the first stint and then switching to mediums of even softs for the second tire. However, there was a major flaw with this strategy in that they failed to take into account the very real probability of a Safety Car (or 2) which is exactly what happened. Also, they definitely held the drivers out too long on the old hard tires which caused them to loose several places. I thought that they were going to hold on to lap 40 and then go to softs and sprint the last 22 laps but they switched to mediums which was confusing to me.

ASTON MARTIN
Not bringing any upgrades over the last few races, and particularly this one really hurt them.I’m wondering if they are spending all their money on their new facility and waiting until next year for any improvements to the car which is a mistake. Lance Stroll is a joke and even though Daddy is bankrolling the team he needs to be let go if they want to be taken seriously.

Overall a great race and I’m looking forward to Japan!

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
They both believed that they had a legit chance to win but worked together for the greater good.

Not so sure, correct me it I'm way off. George earned the right to fight for that win, in quali and the race. Hard to keep focused with Hammy so aggressive on his tail. Hammy was in it for sure, any bobbles ahead and he might have won. But that was a long shot and dogging his teammate was entitled arrogance. LH even crabbed on the radio about GR needing to pick up his pace. How Could George do that? Yeah the Ferrari and Mac had well-worn tires but they still had big pace on the straights and, with DRS, no easy pickin's.

The incident was halfway thru the last lap, George's chances looked slimmer and slimmer but he was still in it and asking him to drive looking forward and backwards was unnecessary and unfair.

Speaking of Russell's crash:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/...-final-lap/10521674/

quote:

Norris hit the same wall as Russell on F1 Singapore GP final lap

Lando Norris revealed he struck the wall in the same place as George Russell on the final lap of Formula 1's Singapore Grand Prix, moments before the Mercedes driver crashed.

James Newbold Sep 18, 2023 at 4:09 AM

Norris finished second to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the Marina Bay circuit after a tense end to the 62-lap race, as fresher medium tyres brought Russell and Lewis Hamilton onto the tail of the two leaders struggling on older hard compound rubber.

In his efforts to keep Russell at bay on the final tour, Norris grazed the wall with his right-rear tyre at the Turn 10 left-hander but was able to continue while Russell's similar contact fired him into the barriers to lift Hamilton onto the podium.

Speaking immediately after the race, the McLaren driver explained: "I hit the wall on the last lap in the same place [as Russell], so I think he copied me and just did it even worse.

"So I feel for him, he fought a tough race."

Norris, who had run behind Russell in third prior to the Mercedes driver making a second stop under a virtual safety car, opined that Russell "was the quickest" driver in the race and revealed that his demise had made the end to his race more straightforward.

"It helped me a bit the last couple of corners, I could chill just a little bit more," he said.

Sainz remarked after the race that he felt "under control" on his way to becoming the first non-Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023, and Norris praised his former team-mate for allowing him within a second to fend off the Mercedes duo with DRS.

"Carlos was very generous trying to help me get DRS," said Norris, whose second place was his third podium of the season after identical results at Silverstone and the Hungaroring.

"He helped my race and I also helped his, so it was tough.

"We knew it was going to be tough as soon as the Mercedes boxed, especially with only a couple of cars for them to overtake.

"But we're on the podium, P2, we held them off. We did everything we needed to do and more. So super happy."

Sainz says on the radio, "Give me the gap to Lando on every lap."

I think to myself, "Why is he worried about Lando?" "George and Lewis are going to catch them both before the race ends."

And when the catch happens Sainz had Lando in DRS to help hold off the Mercs. Damn!!! Dude was 5 moves ahead. Brilliant driving!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
They both believed that they had a legit chance to win but worked together for the greater good.

Not so sure, correct me it I'm way off. George earned the right to fight for that win, in quali and the race. Hard to keep focused with Hammy so aggressive on his tail. Hammy was in it for sure, any bobbles ahead and he might have won. But that was a long shot and dogging his teammate was entitled arrogance. LH even crabbed on the radio about GR needing to pick up his pace. How Could George do that? Yeah the Ferrari and Mac had well-worn tires but they still had big pace on the straights and, with DRS, no easy pickin's.

The incident was halfway thru the last lap, George's chances looked slimmer and slimmer but he was still in it and asking him to drive looking forward and backwards was unnecessary and unfair.

I guess it all depends on what the broadcasters wanted to share as far as drivers communication with their pits. The Hampster was being the Hampster but I thought that the complaining was less than what I’ve heard in the past.