Formula 1 Preview - Singapore Grand Prix

Into the 14th round of the 2009 Formula 1 Grand Prix season, we take a look at what the drivers think of their upcoming race in Singapore this weekend.

McLaren Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton: "Last year’s inaugural Singapore Grand Prix was a real example of how to host a new Formula 1 race - fantastic facilities, slick organisation and a unique and interesting track that was not only fun and demanding but also really forced you to push to the limit and take a few risks to get the best from the car. I remember my race in Singapore last year was all about damage limitation - I was driving with one eye on the world championship and wasn’t going to take too many risks. I was happy to finish on the podium. This year, it’s very different - I know I’m out of the title hunt and I want to attack these last four races, pushing for as many victories as I can."

Heikki Kovalainen: "We really seem to have discovered the sweet-spot of this year’s car. I’ve had points finished in every race since the Nurburgring, and we’ve got some interesting new upgrades in the systems that are planned for the Singapore race. Of course, racing at night is what really makes this event unique, but the lighting system is so fantastic that you tend to forget that you are even racing in the dark! Singapore is the sort of circuit that should suit our package - there are lots of slower corners and we’ll be able to use KERS to our advantage. Overall, the city is also a fantastic backdrop to what has already become one of the best circuits on the Formula 1 calendar."

BMW Sauber

Robert Kubica: "The track is very challenging; especially the last sector. It is very twisty with a lot of corners. As the circuit is not a permanent track, the grip level is very poor at the beginning of the weekend but improves from day to day. Last year the surface was very bumpy, maybe a little too bumpy at some places. Before the initial night session, there were lots of concerns among us drivers regarding visibility which did not prove right. Actually I was very surprised how well the light situation was managed."

Nick Heidfeld: "I’ve been looking forward to the race in Singapore for many weeks because I know we have some modifications ready for the weekend. Our simulation work has been very promising and the car will look great. As I found out last year, it’s practically impossible to overtake in Singapore. After a penalty I had to start from ninth on the grid rather than sixth and, although I had the speed, sixth at the finish was the best I could hope for. Grid position is equally as critical in Singapore as it is in Monaco."

Williams

Nico Rosberg: "The toughest thing about Singapore is the heat and the number of corners. There are 23, so there’s never an opportunity to relax. The circuit is challenging, but it’s a high downforce track which suits our car, so I’m hoping that we will have a better result there than we had in Monza."

Kazuki Nakajima: "Singapore is a very technical track because of all the different elements you have to contend with. It’s a night race so you have to make sure you are accustomed to the different light; it’s a street circuit so it’s quite slippery at the start of the weekend; it has few run-off areas and minimal overtaking opportunities. It is also really bumpy, particularly between turns 5 and 7. Combined with the high temperatures and humidity, it’s going to be a very challenging race for the drivers and the cars. Because of the number of low speed corners, it is a very high downforce circuit, but that is good for us as our car works well on this kind of track."

Toyota

Jarno Trulli: "Singapore is a unique race for us as the only night race and it is quite an interesting experience. I hope we can be competitive there, especially since we have some improvements to the car. The team has pushed hard all season to introduce new parts and it's great to have upgrades even as the season is coming to a close. It's not possible to predict exactly how we will perform until we have driven the track again but I am optimistic we can be competitive again in Singapore. I was really unlucky last year when a technical problem prevented me finishing on the podium. It was a really tough race on a heavy fuel load, especially in hot conditions and over the bumps, so it was frustrating not to get a result. This year I am determined to make up for that. To be honest I would rather race in daylight because the light levels change around the track but a night race is good for the spectators and there was a nice atmosphere last year so I am looking forward to this weekend."

Timo Glock: "I really enjoy racing at night because it is a great show for the fans and last year was just an unbelievable event. You need to get used to driving under lights but for me the visibility was fine, it's just a very strange thing is to be arriving at the track early in the afternoon and leaving again at 4am. I like the Singapore track; it is good fun to be driving past some famous buildings at night and the chicane at turn 10 is a nice challenge because you cannot afford to make any mistake. It's a typical street circuit and last year it was pretty bumpy which made it tough for the drivers, but they have worked on that. I had a great race there a year ago so I hope we can repeat that kind of result. It's hard to know what to expect considering we have some improvements on the car this weekend but I hope we will make a step forward. We are still pushing as hard as ever so I can't wait to get back on track."

Renault

Fernando Alonso: "I like the Singapore GP because it's quite challenging and there are some interesting corners like the high-speed chicane at turn 10 where you have to carry a lot of speed and use the curbs. Overtaking isn't easy in Singapore, but there are some opportunities. The car is working well at most circuits so I believe we are competitive enough to get close to the podium, which has to be my target this weekend."

Romain Grosjean: "I enjoy street circuits and the track layout looks interesting. I saw the race on television last year and thought the cars looked great under the lights. This will be my first ever night race and I'm really looking forward to it. I've been doing a lot of work with my engineers and I've watched some videos to try and learn the track as much as I can before I arrive there. I already know the layout from studying the map, but it's only when you drive a lap and feel the grip that you start to understand the circuit."

Force India

Adrian Sutil: "The track is quite challenging, with lots of corners and changes of direction but it's also quite fast, like a cross between Valencia and Monaco. I enjoy street racing and Singapore has that same feeling so I'm looking forward to it. Last year I didn't have such a great race but this year we are in a very different situation. My goal will be to be focused from the start of the weekend, do some solid work in practice and qualify well as a good grid position is very important here. For sure it's then to get some more points. I feel we can definitely add to the total."

Tonio Liuzzi: "For sure Singapore will be much tougher. We've been working in the simulator to get to know it better, but it will be a much tougher event. We'll have to see how the car is there because it's a completely different circuit, with really high downforce, so everything can change."