FORMULA 1

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Rebuilding Gasly's confidence an 'easy exercise' - Tost

A year ago, it was unthinkable to Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost that Alex Albon would be driving a Red Bull RB15 in 2019. But now that’s the case, Tost has a job to do: rebuilding the confidence of Pierre Gasly after his demotion from the senior squad to make way for the Thai driver.

“It was not that Alex Albon was not on our radar as he had already won F2 races, we talked about him. Twelve months later, that he’s sitting in a Red Bull? I didn’t expect it to be honest,” said Tost after Albon’s first race in a Red Bull RB15, the Belgian Grand Prix, in which he recovered from 17th on the grid to finish fifth.

The upshot of that blockbuster move was that Pierre Gasly, who had only joined Red Bull this season as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement, had to move back to Toro Rosso, where he spent his rookie season in 2018. As always, it took a toll on the returning driver, something that Tost has witnessed before after Daniil Kvyat was dropped from Red Bull for Max Verstappen in 2016.

“If a driver is coming back from Red Bull to Toro Rosso he is shocked and demotivated and he’s lost confidence,” said Tost. “The job from the team and from my side is to help them, support them and to bring together all the ingredients they need to perform as well as they did beforehand. Because Red Bull Racing took them when they were successful with us,” he said.

During his spell at Red Bull, Gasly scored 63 points to Max Verstappen’s 181 in 12 races, being out-qualified and out-raced 11-1. But now he's back at Toro Rosso, Tost says it’s almost like the Frenchman - who scored a battling ninth on his second debut with the team in Belgium - never left the Faenza-based team.

“Yeah it’s the same. Nothing has [changed], overalls and everything were still there! It was only a few months,” he joked.

Tost called it an “easy exercise” to rebuild Gasly’s confidence.

“He came to the factory as if it was yesterday. From the beginning onwards there was good cooperation, we trust each other, we support each other, therefore… I am convinced that he will soon have back his confidence,” said the Austrian.

As they battle to retain sixth in the constructors' standings, Toro Rosso will be banking on a revitalised Gasly being a regular scorer...

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Overcoming McLaren ‘completely doable’, says Abiteboul

Renault Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul has thrown down the gauntlet with seven races of the 2019 Formula 1 season remaining. Having done the maths, he says that a fourth-place finish in the constructors’ standings is absolutely possible.

The tables have turned this year, Renault lying fifth in the table after 14 races and McLaren fourth; last year they were fourth in the standings at this point with McLaren sixth.

The French-British team have been mired in a fluctuating midfield battle all season, with Toro Rosso and Racing Point turning up the heat below them and McLaren leading the fight.

But after scoring their strongest result of the season in Monza - with Daniel Ricciardo fourth and Nico Hulkenberg fifth - Abiteboul is now confident things are trending in the right direction.

“It’s been bumpy this year,” said Abiteboul as he considered Renault’s season so far. “There have been a number of occasions where we could have had a decent result with some points and helping for the championship, and that has not happened for many different reasons and sometimes for our own cause, sometimes external factors. [In Italy] nothing has gone against us, against the result.

“[It was] a deserved result,” he said.

The battle for fourth has swing back and forth this season, with McLaren having shown renewed pace with five-consecutive points-scoring races from France to Hungary. Renault responded with engine upgrades and a low-downforce package for the fast-paced Spa and Monza circuits, and clawed back 25 points on their rivals.

“I think it’s really fair to say the job done on the engine side is very clear, said Abiteboul. "We were competitive in Montreal, in Spa, in Monza, which means the demonstration is clear.

“The weaknesses of the car are still here – that’s why I’m not overjoyed because I know there still will be tough times ahead of us in the season but this is just a demonstration of the strengths, which have been clearly exposed [in Italy].”

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has said that his team won't compromise next season in a bid to win the race for P4, but Abiteboul's target is clear.

“Firstly, you don’t renegotiate the targets simply because they are looking harder, so [Saturday in Monza] the target was still P4 and today the target remains P4," he said. "I think we are 18 points away from [McLaren], seven races to go, three points average more than them, it’s completely doable.

“I think there will be a number of tracks where they will be quicker than us, that’s a fact, and there will be a number tracks where we will be quicker than them, so we just need to be capable of doing what we have not done so far, and when we are quicker, scoring more points – except for [in Italy] where we’ve done it and that’s good.

“But again, the target is not just McLaren, the target is to improve everywhere and against everyone, because ultimately, P5 and P4 is good, but it’s not where we want to stop,” came his conclusion.

Singapore is up next, a circuit on which Renault took victory at the maiden Grand Prix in 2008 through Fernando Alonso. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton won the following year. Of course, things are very much different now…

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McLaren aiming to 'reset' ahead of Singapore GP - Andreas Seidl

McLaren is aiming to 'reset' for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix after two difficult races on the bounce, following the summer break according to Team Principal Andreas Seidl.

The Woking-based outfit lost several points after a number of issues hit the team in both the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix.

Both cars suffered power unit issues in Spa with Carlos Sainz Jr's coming at the start of the race while Lando Norris' MCL34 failed on the final lap of the race whilst in a comfortable season-best fifth place.

In Monza, Norris was able to recover from the rear of the field after taking power unit penalties to score a single point, however, Sainz Jr. dropped out from seventh place after an unsafe release with a cross-threaded tyre.

With power unit suppliers Renault outscoring McLaren by 25 points over the two races - helped by a fourth and fifth place in Monza - the final third of the season is critical to the teams aspirations of finishing fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

“We go to Singapore looking to reset and refresh following two difficult weekends in Belgium and Italy,” said Seidl

“Those races demonstrated just how close the midfield pack is, and that even the smallest issue can cost a lot in the Constructors’ Championship.

“We know the areas we need to work on between now and the end of the season, and the team is pushing hard right through to Abu Dhabi.”

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Mercedes adopt alternate tyre strategy for Russian GP

Mercedes has adopted a different tyre strategy compared to its rivals for next week's Russian Grand Prix as Pirelli has revealed the compound selections for each driver.

The Italian manufacturer has nominated the C2, C3 and C4 compounds for the grand prix at the Sochi circuit, the three compounds from the middle of its range.

As usual, Pirelli mandates one of each compound for every driver, after which they are permitted free choice for the remaining 10 sets from their allocation of 13.

Both Silver Arrows drivers will take only eight sets of the red-marked soft tyre while the rest of the field will take more, this means both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will carry more of the Medium and Hard tyres respectively.

Rivals Ferrari and Red Bull will take identical amounts of each compound being one set of the Hards, three sets of Mediums and nine of the Softs.

McLaren drivers Carlos Sainz Jr., Lando Norris along with Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Robert Kubica will take with them two sets of Hards and Mediums and nine sets of softs.

The rest of the field take on differing strategies.

The smooth asphalt of the Sochi circuit does not punish the rubber as severely as other circuits which will likely lean teams to adopt a one-stop strategy.

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Sky and Channel 4 agree extension to multi-year highlights deal

Channel 4 has confirmed it will continue to broadcast Formula 1 highlights on a multi-year deal in a partnership with Sky UK.

Sky had taken over live exclusive rights to the series from the 2019 season onwards, but a free-to-air highlights deal was struck for 2019 with Channel 4, with the exception of the British Grand Prix, which is shown live on the free-to-air channel.

A new multi-year deal has been agreed which will see the highlights package remain with Channel 4, which will include live coverage of the 2020 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The partnership expands upon previous collaborations between Sky and Channel 4, the most recent came during the ICC Cricket World Cup which saw both broadcasters share the rights for the final which saw England claim victory.

Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon said: “Channel 4 has established itself as the go-to channel for free to air television coverage of Formula 1® and we’re thrilled that motorsport fans will be able to continue to enjoy the excitement of F1 through our highlights of all the races and live coverage of the British Grand Prix.”

Stephen van Rooyen, CEO UK and Ireland, Sky added: “We’ve long thought that collaboration benefits both consumers and the industry - today’s news does exactly that.

“Together, Sky and Channel 4 will connect their viewers to more of the content they love, while bringing brands better ways to reach audiences.

“We look forward to working even more closely with Channel 4 and, we hope, other British broadcasters to bring more innovation and content to consumers over the coming years.”

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Haas shows off revised livery following Rich Energy split

The Haas F1 Team has shown off the first image of what its revised livery will look like for the remainder of the 2019 Formula 1 season, following the split with its title sponsor, Rich Energy.

The American outfit signed a deal with the British energy drink brand for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which saw the company's Stag logo feature prominently on the VF19.

However after Rich Energy lost a court case over its logo, which London's High Court ruled had blatantly ripped off British cycling company Whyte Bikes, the logos were amended to include only the name.

But just weeks later Rich Energy CEO William Storey sent several tweets claiming he wanted to terminate the sponsor deal over "poor results". This led to months of uncertainty over the future of the relationship, but last week it was confirmed the two parties had agreed an "amicable" split, which would see the branding removed entirely.

The team has however retained the Rich Energy colours of black and gold for the remainder of the season.

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Renault says fighting McLaren an "awkward situation"

Renault Formula 1 boss Cyril Abiteboul admits that fighting the French manufacturer's sole customer team McLaren is an "awkward situation."
Renault drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg earned fourth and fifth places in the last race at Monza, and in the two events held since the summer break the Enstone outfit has made a net gain of 25 points on fourth-placed McLaren – leaving the current gap at 18 points with seven races still to run.

Abiteboul believes that Renault has the better overall package and will able to close the gap by making the most of weekends where it has an advantage over the Woking outfit.

"It's a bit of an awkward situation, but clearly McLaren's resurrection is also due to a combination of a resurgence on the power unit side and on the chassis side," Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

"I think they have a better chassis in certain conditions, we have a better car overall and a better chassis in the other conditions.

"That's a fact, so I think it's going to be about track characteristics and who is capable of seizing the opportunity offered by the track.

"It was the target to finish fourth, and it remains the target. It was looking like a difficult target, now it's looking like an achievable target, and that's what we are focussing on.

"The pressure is not changing, and indeed when you are not in line with your target, you feel pressure, but I'm sure it's the same for everyone on the grid, otherwise you don't race in F1.

"It's good to have targets that are challenging to achieve, because that keeps us on our toes. Targets need to be realistic, and they are realistic for this year, being P4 was and is a realistic target. We need to keep on working and keep on delivering against it."

Abiteboul acknowledged that Spa and Monza played to the specific strengths of the Renault package relative to that of McLaren, but stressed that big points had gone astray at other venues.

"Frankly life doesn't change, the strengths and weakness of the car have not changed, and we know also we know the positives and the negatives to expect from the upcoming races.

"There have been a number of tracks where we could have had this type of result, more or less, and it's not happened. I think it only fair that it's happening at least once.

"We have the recollection of Bahrain, Montreal could have been better, Spa could have been better also.

"There have been a number of occasions, and this time it went our way. Nothing really external helped us in Monza, apart from maybe Vettel [spinning and being penalised]. Apart from that the car was strong and deserved to be in that position.

"It's satisfying, and I hope it's a momentum that we can carry into the factory, and we can keep on improving the car.

"Again that's also what we need to do, a taste of what we would like to feel more often. But we can't wait to be on special tracks for this to happen. I think we can still have a number of tracks where the car can be decent, and we just need to do the same when that happens."

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Ocon learned "a lot of things" from year out of F1

Esteban Ocon insists that he's benefited from his year as reserve driver for the Mercedes Formula 1 team, despite a lack of testing miles.
Ocon, who will race for Renault next year, was given the Mercedes role when he was unable to find a race seat after Lance Stroll took his place at Racing Point.

His main job this season has been as a simulator driver at Brackley on race weekends, although he did get to drive the W13 for two days in last week's 2020 Pirelli tyre test at Paul Ricard.

The current rules mean that he has not been able to run the sort of test mileage once enjoyed by the likes of Fernando Alonso, who took a year out of racing as Renault's third driver in 2002.

However, Ocon insists that he's made the most of his time out of racing, and has learned simply by observing the team in action.

"A lot of things," he said when asked by Motorsport.com what he had gained. "I didn't drive as much as I would have liked to. Back in those days you could test the cars and drive millions of kilometres before getting back in it.

"I've done that in the simulator. I did test all the parts that the team put on the weekend. So I am aware of all the latest news of the current generation of cars. I think that's a positive thing.

"On the other side not being driving I could also learn the other part of the world of F1, which is more experience, more knowledge for me and more things learned for the future.

"Seeing what the team expect from a driver, some things you cannot think about when you are racing. Because you don't hear the people speaking internally and all that.

"As Toto [Wolff] always says, the more things you see and the more knowledge you have for the future, the more experience that makes in the end. And that makes you a better athlete, also a better driver in the end, a better package."

Ocon says that a year on the sidelines has made him hungry to return to race action in 2020.

"This year has been tough mentally and on the emotion side as well, seeing those guys go so well and me being on the sideline. It's not something that's particularly great.

"But I think it can only make you stronger and more keen to come back, and I'm more hungry for when I come back."

Although he was asked to do the Pirelli test by Mercedes, Ocon will be phased out of any work that focuses on next season.

"Esteban and I discussed how long he should stay in the various roles," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

"The longer you stay the more information you're going to take with you. He said of course I'm going to take all this information with me!

"It's a transition. He's in our simulator, and that is an important role in helping us to develop the car. But step by step Esteban is going to fade out of the meetings about the future, about things that impact next year's car or that we deem to be sensitive from the engineering or innovation point of view.

"But he still is with us this season and does some very valuable work that we need in order to win this championship."

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Monza not Ferrari's last chance to win in 2019 - Binotto

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto is adamant his team will still have more chances to win in the remainder of the 2019 Formula 1 season, despite the last two tracks having clearly favoured his cars.
The low downforce and high-speed nature of Spa and Monza were expected to play to Ferrari's strengths, and the team duly came away with back-to-back victories for Charles Leclerc.

Those are Ferrari's only wins of the year so far, which led to predictions that it would struggle on more conventional track layouts for the rest of the year.

But Binotto pointed to the team's strong pace at other tracks earlier in the season as a sign that it could still challenge for wins elsewhere, while stressing that development was still ongoing and the current balance could change.

"We knew that these ones were tracks where we may have been competitive," he said when asked by Motorsport.com about future form.

"It was not a given, but certainly being power sensitive and having long straights it was important for us.

"It's important for us not to miss any other opportunities as we missed in the first part of the season, and the fact that we capitalised on the strengths of our car in these two races makes us very happy.

"What will be for the next races? I think it can be as good as the first part of the season.

"There will be races as it has been in Germany, as it has been in Canada, Bahrain, where maybe we can still be competitive, and races where the weaknesses of our car will not give us the possibilities to go for the win.

"But it's difficult to guess which one. It's important for us to continue to develop the car, continue to understand it, try to have the best balance, and give our drivers the best opportunities whenever they come.

"There are tracks like the next one [Singapore] where maybe the engine is not so important."

Binotto said the team's impressive straightline form at Monza was not only due to the switch to the latest Spec 3 engine, which the works cars used for the first time.

He believes Ferrari's aero package was an equally big factor.

"I think we should thank not only the new engine, which gives us speed and strength on the straights, but as well I think all the aerodynamic department, because the low downforce package we brought has proved to be a good one for the high speed," Binotto said.

"Certainly the speed you may have seen on the straight is not only down to the engine, but also the aero package we brought."

Asked about specific improvements for Singapore he said: "We are working certainly back in Maranello to add some downforce. Maybe a few bits will be there."

Vettel agreed that Ferrari can still shine at some of the remaining tracks on the 2019 schedule.

"Obviously going forwards we haven't been the favourites for this year's championship since far, far away," said the four-time world champion. "I think you don't need to be clever to make that out.

"But I think we still have some races coming where we will be probably more competitive than others, but overall it's just about getting a good weekend.

"I think the speed is there, so I'm not worried, it's honestly just a matter of putting things together. But we have a lot of races and a lot of time."

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Hamilton: Realities of F1 dangers are still "shocking"

Lewis Hamilton says dealing with the realities of motor racing's dangers after Anthoine Hubert was killed last month was something that hit him in the 'depths' of his soul
With the Formula 1 paddock having been left upset by the death of F2 race-winner Hubert in a crash in Belgium last month, Hamilton was one of many who took to social media at the time to express his feelings.

And while Hamilton is no stranger to such tragic events, having raced in Japan in 2014 when Jules Bianchi suffered the injuries that would later kill him, and been in a kart race in 1994 when rival Daniel Spence died, he says such situations remain tough.

"That's why I posted the things [on social media], because it's not impossible," said Hamilton, speaking to selected media including Motorsport.com. "I've experienced that [before].

"Obviously we had that in Japan, we had that experience, but then I had another 11-year-old die on the race weekend, when I was racing as a kid. So I'd experienced it before. And for a driver it really hits you hard.

"I don't know how it was for the other drivers, but for me, 'woah', it hit me in the depths of my soul. It was really hard. For the rest of that day and then the evening, I couldn't go to sleep, I just couldn't believe what had happened that day.

"I guess your mind is just working overtime, trying to get used to the reality of what has happened. And also to the fact that, look, we lost Charlie [Whiting] this year and Formula 1 just continues on, we lost Niki [Lauda] and the world just goes on. It's sad, I think, that that's how life is."

In Hamilton's social media posts after Hubert's death, he expressed some frustration that many people did not appreciate the risks that drivers take.

Asked to elaborate on those views, he said: "I think that's just in general in the world.

"I think you go to a sporting event, which is such a great great event, but people turn up for the fun weekend. Some of them may not have even contemplated the fact that it's a dangerous sport, these guys could have an incident like that - because it doesn't happen so often.

"Back in the day, when it was happening all the time, it was 'ah, these guys are superheroes, it happens all the time, he dodged death!'. But whilst we are in a safer period of time in the sport, it is still there, still a potential possibility.

"I think just in life, as humans, I think we take lots of things for granted. All of us do. Even I do. It's just the way we are tuned.

"I arrive to my engineers and it's just a part of our weekend. We go through our cycle, I get in and I come out tired, it's just the norm. And if I get in, I crash, and I get hurt, it's 'oh my god'. All of a sudden it's a shock. I'm conscious of when I get in, that my days are numbered, you know?"

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Singapore GP organisers react to "unhealthy" air concerns

Specific measures will be in place at Formula 1's Singapore Grand Prix in response to health advisories from the national government over "unhealthy" air concerns.
Daily advisories have been issued by the National Environment Agency since the start of August, since drier-than-normal weather conditions in Singapore and the surrounding region were forecast.

Nearby Southeast Asian islands have produced "hotspot activities with smoke plumes" that triggered the risk of transboundary haze, a form of air pollution that crosses territories.

Though the situation is not as severe as in 2015, when an air pollution crisis affected multiple countries in the region, weekend advisories from Singapore's NEA warned of Pollution Standards Index readings of more than 100, which is "unhealthy".

An NEA advisory on Sunday evening stated that despite a gradual improvement, 24-hour readings were still in the "low end of the unhealthy range".

It is hoped that this will progress further in the coming days, although PSI levels can change quickly hour-to-hour.

There is currently no threat to the Singapore GP itself or the racing and entertainment schedule for the weekend, but organisers have acted in response to the ongoing haze concern.

High "unhealthy" PSI levels can require people to stay indoors, reducing activities and physical exertion, however the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours means "everyone can continue with normal activities".

That means drivers competing in the Singapore GP should not be at risk of feeling unwell, and nor should spectators attending the event.

However, vulnerable people not feeling well, "especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions", should seek medical attention.

In the interest of spectator safety, there will be prominent information in line with the latest advisories and PSI readings on-site at the Singapore GP this week.

In a statement to Motorsport.com, a spokesperson for the Singapore GP confirmed that the PSI reading and latest health advisory will be on the event website, mobile app, big screens between on-track sessions and broadcast on the in-circuit radio system.

The relevant advisory will also be posted at entrances to the circuit.

First-aid posts on-site have been placed on standby to handle any possible haze-related conditions.

These posts will also have N95 masks, the most common respiratory filters, for vulnerable people "such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, as well as those with chronic heart or lung conditions".

All spectators will be able to purchase these masks at a "nominal price at merchandise booths" if air quality reports reach a "high" or "very unhealthy" level.

"The haze situation is highly changeable not only from day to day, but from hour to hour," said the Singapore GP spokesperson.

"Therefore, it is currently not possible to reliably predict what the PSI level might be over the race weekend.

"We will continue to work closely with all the relevant government authorities to receive the best possible forecasts when they are available."

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FIGHT NIGHT: How brutal Singapore GP pushes drivers to the limit

It's a quirk of the calendar that the drivers go from the shortest, fastest race of the year in Italy to, two weeks later, a Grand Prix at completely the other end of the spectrum: the ultra-demanding Singapore Grand Prix. Here's what the drivers have to cope with at the unique night race...

FIGHT THE HEAT
The heatwave that blasted Europe earlier in the summer felt a long way away in Italy, with ambient temperatures hovering between 17-19 degrees Celsius before climbing to 21 on race day afternoon. But F1’s fraternity will likely be craving those conditions this weekend as those will ramp up by more than 10 degrees Celsius, as F1 lands in Asia. Couple that with humidity spiralling to over 80% and you have yourself one heck of a physical challenge.

Sure, it’s a night race, so as the sun dips, so does the ambient temperature – but we’re talking only by a degree or two. Inside the cockpit, it’s still a staggering 60 degrees Celsius, which is only fractionally cooler than your average sauna. That's deeply unpleasant for the drivers, who are wrapped up in several layers of fireproof racewear and racing at the limit for nearly two hours.

To ease the pain, you’ll see drivers sporting cooling vests - which have pouches filled with ice packs - and cooling collars to help lower the temperature of their torsos ahead of sessions and aid recovery afterwards.

It won’t have a massive impact on their core temperature, but it does make them feel more comfortable. The most effective remedy is an ice bath, usually a large plastic bucket found somewhere behind the team’s hospitality unit, where drivers will sit for anywhere between five and 20 minutes, schedule dependent.

In the race, there’s little they can do, other than cracking open the visor a little, to let in some air – which will more than likely be hot – or taking a sip from their drinks bottle, which will store liquid that is initially cold but within minutes resembles something more akin to a freshly-brewed cup of tea.

They need to drink it anyway, mind, as they will sweat off around 3kg of weight over the course of the race. Team members, who work in conditions of around 40 degrees Celsius in the garages, need to keep hydrated, too. Mercedes recommend a fluid intake of around three to five litres per day.

FIGHT THE BURN
At 5.063km, Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit is by no means the longest. But it is certainly the most demanding. It features 23 corners – 14 left handers, nine right handers if you were wondering – the most on the calendar, and they come thick and fast. The longest straight is a just 0.8km, offering the drivers very little respite - it's a full-on cardio work-out.

That’ll be tough for one lap – but the drivers need to do 61 of them, as while street circuits usually have their race distance adjusted to compensate for the slower average speeds, Singapore doesn’t follow suit. As a result, this is the race that comes closest to hitting Formula 1’s two-hour maximum threshold limit.

Four of the 11 Singapore GPs so far have achieved that feat, with the 'quickest' race still taking one hour and 51 minutes. That compares to last week’s Italian Grand Prix, which was done and dusted in just one hour and 15 minutes...

FIGHT THE FORCE
With 23 corners, the brake pedal will be getting a good pummeling in Singapore. On average, drivers use their brakes 15 times per lap – more than at any other circuit. That compares to just six times in Monza and 11 at circuits like Monaco, Baku, Budapest and Abu Dhabi. They also spend around 24 seconds per lap on the brakes, which accounts to 25% of the lap – 12% more than last time out at Monza.

Over the course of 61 laps, all this brake-usage accounts for a total load of almost 70 tonnes on the pedal (the weight of one of NASA's space shuttles), which roughly translates at more than 630kg (or 1,389lb) for every minute of the race. It’s exhausting just typing that, let alone doing it - and that's just the legs. With so many corners, huge questions are also being asked of a driver's neck, arms and core.

With braking comes gear changes. There’s around 62 of them over a single lap, the second highest number of gear changes on the calendar. But this figure varies wildly depending on where you are in the field. Lewis Hamilton, last year’s winner, completed around 3,100 gear changes in 2018, compared to 4,140 for his team mate Valtteri Bottas, who spent much of his race in traffic on the way to fourth.

FIGHT THE CLOCK
One of the quirks of a night race is that the drivers and teams stick to European time, to align with the adjusted track schedule. The race, for example, begins around five hours later than at Monza, at 2010 local time.

This means over the course of the weekend the alarm will go off around midday, great news for drivers like Romain Grosjean who love a lie-in, with breakfast around 1-2pm. Lunch is served around 7pm, with dinner dependent on work load and session times, but likely around 1am onwards. Bed is about 5am, a couple of hours before sunrise.

Teams go to great lengths to ensure their personnel can adapt, from booking out whole floors in hotels to avoid disruption and requesting housekeeping staff to delay cleaning until the afternoon to insisting on black out curtains or blinds and moving hotel breakfast times to avoid an early alarm. Let's face it - the drivers need to rest up!

 

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TECH TUESDAY: Why the only thing splitting Red Bull and Mercedes in Singapore could be the drivers

Mercedes will be approaching this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix in a cautiously optimistic frame of mind. Away from the low-drag/high-power demands of Spa and Monza, the Ferrari threat looks set to fade. But in its place, probably, will be a renewed challenge from Red Bull, taking up from where they left off in Hungary before the outlier tracks in Belgium and Italy.

Essentially, the performance profile of the Red Bull and Mercedes has converged since the RB15 got its upgrades in France and Austria. They now tend to be strong and weak at the same places, with great slow-corner performance but a similar high drag that dampens their end-of-straight speed.

The Mercedes has usually been able to retain the upper hand on account of a power advantage over the Honda in the Red Bull, but that may have narrowed recently.

Mercedes introduced cooling changes - circled in red - ahead of the German GP and then won in Hungary

Singapore, with its sequence of low-speed corners, heavily rewards the excellent downforce of these two cars and doesn’t unduly punish their relatively slow terminal speeds. So what might separate them in Singapore?

Max Verstappen triumphed in Austria largely because the Mercs could not use all of their performance on account of being under-cooled. It was a problem inherent in the design of the car only manifest on a track without much straight-line running and a very high ambient temperature – which is exactly what the Austrian Grand Prix provided.

As part of a subsequent Mercedes upgrade at the German Grand Prix, the cooling system had been revised, with major work re-siting the mechanical elements of it – and sidepod air intakes that were angled slightly outward to capture more cooling air.

In the Hungarian Grand Prix we had a repeat of the Austrian combination and on that occasion the Mercedes performed just fine, allowing Lewis Hamilton to spend many laps pressuring Verstappen before switching to a two-stop strategy to re-catch the Red Bull and then overtake to win.

With their machinery converging, it could be a straight fight between Hamilton and Verstappen in Singapore...

We didn’t get to see the full performance potential of the Red Bull newly powered by the Honda Spec 4 engine in either Spa or Monza as they were taking engine change grid penalties (Alex Albon at Spa, Verstappen at Monza), with Albon then not getting a proper Q3 lap at Monza on account of Raikkonen’s red flag on the first runs and the timed-out controversy in the second.

So we have yet to see a genuine Spec 4-powered Red Bull qualifying lap. Singapore therefore will be a great barometer for the epic Mercedes/Red Bull contest we expect to see play out over the remainder of the season.

Mercedes has its own upgraded engine, the Spec 3, introduced at Spa. But so far its reliability hasn’t been great in the customer cars and it seems it may not yet be running at its full potential. In the hybrid era, it takes a time for the full potential of new-spec power units to be seen, as they are invariably run quite conservatively initially as reliability parameters are established.

As this data is built up, the engine departments will then typically allow the teams to run them more aggressively.

It is all looking close enough that the only thing that may separate the two cars in Singapore is the drivers…

[MIKA27]

Formula 1 responds to recent broadcast complaints

Formula 1 has responded to recent complaints about its coverage, particularly the use of replays and when they're shown.

Viewers took to social media during the Italian Grand Prix to criticise the decision to show numerous replays of the start, which meant other on-track action was missed.

F1's director of broadcast and media Dean Locke explained that the Monza layout makes it difficult to decide who to follow, especially when drivers are out of position, like Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who started at the back of the grid.

"Monza is tricky because of the first chicane," he said. "On the first lap the field comes to that chicane very quickly. This year we had a really good battle at the front involving three or four cars. Conversely, at the back of the field you also had a very quick guy, Max Verstappen, and you have to make the choice of where to go.

"We were aware that there were some things happening at the back and we knew people were going through the chicane. But if you’ve got two cars side by side at the front, you have to stick with that."

Locke explained that deciding when to show replays in a sport that has no breaks is always a difficult decision, and whilst some fans have suggested using split-screen or picture-in-picture, Locke said it's a solution they've "shyed away from".

"In terms of replays what makes Formula 1 a challenge is we don’t have natural breaks. We’re not like tennis, or cricket in that respect. Therefore we’ve got to feed in replays while live action is happening, unless we get a Safety Car.

"If you ask any sports director what is the hardest part of broadcasting live sports, they will say replays. And that’s compounded when you don’t have natural pauses. You’re looking for an advantageous lull – and in Monza, with a lot happening at the front in the first few laps that was difficult."

He added: "We have the mechanism to do that [picture-in-picture] but we tend to shy away from it because the we have a wealth of information already on screen and a lot of graphics and adding to that makes things very complicated. It's also difficult for commentators."

This weekend F1 heads to Singapore, which presents further broadcasting challenges according to Locke.

"There are 23 corners at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and we have to cover those with 26 trackside cameras. There are no real run-off areas apart from in turn one and turn two, so the cameras are on top of the cars, shooting through very small fence windows. There are a limited number of angles they can shoot from and if they are pointing the wrong way, they might miss something.

"On top of that we have to really convey what the city is like, this amazing skyline and these fantastic buildings. Each track and each race is unique. And we’ve got to highlight that uniqueness to fans – the tifosi at Monza, the fireworks in Singapore, the Foro Sol in Mexico and so on. We have to reflect that as much as possible.

"Singapore is a tricky one, but to be honest, broadcasting a motor race at any circuit is a tremendous challenge. Televising a grand prix is very different to other sports."

[MIKA27]

Ferrari to bring ‘a few new parts’ in Singapore bid

Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has confirmed that the team will be bringing minor aerodynamic updates in its bid to maintain its recent Formula 1 form.

Ferrari has not been headed since the summer break as the power-heavy venues in Belgium and Italy played to the strengths of its SF90.

But at other circuits where a greater emphasis is placed on downforce and overall aerodynamic efficiency Ferrari has struggled.

It has trailed Mercedes all season and in more recent rounds has also fallen behind Red Bull.

“Coming from back to back victories is a good feeling for the team and for our Tifosi, but in reality, these victories are already behind us and we are well aware that Singapore will present new challenges and a layout in which our car is not as strong as at other circuits,” cautioned Binotto.

“We are bringing a few new parts there as part of our effort to close the gap to the competition, at a track that features predominantly slow-speed corners.

“All of this, together with the traditionally eventful close racing in between the barriers, on the city streets – conditions that both Sebastian [Vettel] and Charles [Leclerc] love very much – will certainly make for a tough but exciting race weekend.

Leclerc also echoed Binotto’s caution over raising unrealistic expectations.

“After two positive weekends in Belgium and Italy, the race in Singapore doesn't look as good on paper for us,” he said.

“It’s a very different circuit layout, featuring lots of slow corners and fewer straights. It might be a more difficult weekend for us, but we will give our all to have a good result."

[MIKA27]

FIA adds third DRS zone to Singapore circuit

A third DRS zone has been added to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for this weekend’s Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

The FIA has been experimenting with the length and number of DRS zones at grand prix circuits in recent years, in a bid to enhance the quality and quantity of overtaking.

On Wednesday the updated track map was released, showing that another DRS zone has been added to Marina Bay alongside Esplanade Drive, between Turns 13 and 14.

The detection zone will be 102 metres prior to the corner.

This new section is in addition to the retained DRS zones alongside Raffles Avenue (Turns 5 to 7) and the pit straight, which each have their own detection points.

Drivers are permitted free use of DRS in practice and qualifying through the designated zones, and must be within one second of an opponent for it to be allowed in race trim.

[MIKA27]

Formula 1 working to cure red flag button delay

Formula 1 race director Michael Masi says efforts are being made to integrate the twin red flag systems that have on occasion created doubt about whether a driver has completed a qualifying lap before the session was aborted.

In qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix Valtteri Bottas was initially denied a time because the timekeepers believed he hadn't crossed the timing line before the red flag caused by Kimi Raikkonen's crash.

That was quickly rectified when it became apparent that he had made it, and the Finn's time was reinstated.

The FIA uses two red flag buttons, one operated by Masi himself, and one by his deputy and race control systems manager Colin Haywood, and that can contribute to a split-second difference between the operation of the various red flag signals.

"It is the similar issue we had in Baku earlier this year," said Masi. "It is something we have been looking at and it is not as easy as everyone thinks, having two completely isolated systems talk to each other.

"In its simplest form the start light panel is what is connected to the timing monitors, so that is the complete lock down system, and I effectively hit the abort button to signify that which is when the timing stops.

"The other end of the light panels for red flags and VSC and SC, is what Colin does as part of his role, so effectively two separate human inputs that need to go across.

"We have been looking at and continue to look at the manner in which the two can talk, it is not as easy as solution as we would like, not something that, contrary to popular belief has been ignored.

"It is more that the boffins are looking at it effectively and trying to get the two to talk to it together."

Masi said the delta between the two systems being operated in the Bottas case was just 0.6s: "I think if we look at it realistically in that context, we are talking of a difference between two humans who are pressing two different things, on two different desks."

[MIKA27]

F1 should reconsider run-off/gravel trap balance - Wurz

Formula 1 tracks should seek better ways of blending the use of asphalt run- offs and gravel traps at different parts of corners reckons former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz.

The Austrian, who is chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), reckons that a new way of thinking could help steer motor racing away from using sausage kerbs as an off-track deterrent.

Speaking in the wake of Alex Peroni's terrifying F3 crash over the Italian Grand Prix weekend, Wurz said that different types of run-off treatment should be used at corner entry and corner exits.

"You can see interviews of mine for many years which say that I am not a fan of asphalt run-off areas," Wurz told Motorsport.com.

"I think asphalt run-off areas at certain parts of the corners are extremely efficient, extremely safe and good. But we have gone far beyond that. We have placed asphalt run-off areas on corner exits, where I would have still preferred gravel. Some corner exits [should be] grass.

"On corner entry, where usually you have issues with things breaking and you are coming from high speed, then an asphalt run-off area is quite good.

"Sometimes gravel in these situations is actually dangerous, like you saw in Melbourne with [Fernando] Alonso, who slid sideways into gravel. Then you fly into the air, so we lose control of the car even more.

"But on corner exits, after you are down to your minimum speed, with any trajectory towards the run-off, I would think on 80 percent of solutions that asphalt is just too much."

Wurz admits that finding the perfect solution is not easy, but he thinks the time has come for a more detailed look at individual corners to work out what works best for all categories of racing.

"For the track operator, for everyday business, asphalt run-off areas are great. If you have the Porsche club, and if the amateur spins off, [he] doesn't damage his car in the gravel, and you don't have a half an hour red flag until you get someone out. But this is where you – as F1, as a track operator – have to decide.

"There is no easy solution here, but slowly and surely everyone is getting onboard of the message that we have to think of solutions. There are solutions.

"As a businessman in track design I am not disclosing them publicly, but I am getting very close to say 'OK, screw the business, we have to help the industry". That means step by step, corner by corner, and every corner is different because of styles and trajectory unique to each corner."

Wurz says the GPDA has been active in recent years in trying to help find solutions that work best, and believes that sausage kerbs are a big problem.

"We had yet another example of a sausage kerb ill placed, causing a massive accident. We've saw one in Spa few years ago in GP3 [when Konstantin Tereschenko crashed].

"They reacted, and this sausage kerb is hidden now under a slow ramp, which would not propel the car into the air. But Monza was another example [that] those solutions are not good."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton says he's "more of a team player" now

Formula 1 championship leader Lewis Hamilton believes he has become "more of a team player" compared to when he was younger.
Speaking to selected media including Motorsport.com, Hamilton acknowledged that his understanding of how to approach grand prix racing and how much risk to take has changed over the years.

"Now, the goal is to help the team get the most points and finish as high as possible," he said when asked how different his position is to drivers like Red Bull's Max Verstappen who have nothing to lose in title terms.

"When you're slightly further back, you're willing to take a little bit more risk to gain one extra position, and when you're in the lead, you're thinking long-term.

"It's a subtle difference, but also when you're younger, you care less in general, you know? Your perceptions are different when you're younger to when we're all older.

"When you're 21 to where you are now - so now I'm in the car, I'm thinking of how much space I have to give each driver, I'm thinking of the fact that I have 2000 people who make my car and they rely on me to make the smart decision and not be selfish and try to get that extra one spot - which would be good but it comes at a cost of potentially losing the team the constructors' championship.

"I think as I got older I've become more of a team player, more of an understanding of 'you can't win them all'.

"As a kid, you're like 'no, I have to win every single one!'. And I understand that it's a long game, it's a marathon not a sprint. And that philosophy for me, I didn't know that when I was 21 or 22 years old."

Hamilton's Mercedes team is on course to a sixth consecutive constructors' title, while the Briton himself has a commanding lead in his pursuit of a sixth drivers' crown.

But 34-year-old Hamilton says the streak of success has not made it hard for him to keep up the required commitment in F1, "because it's never perfect".

"If it feels perfect every weekend, then maybe after you think 'eh, what's the point?' But the fact is, it's never perfect. It's a constant chase for perfection," Hamilton continued.

"Even in fitness, through the year, you're going up and down, some weeks you train more, some weeks you train less.

"Look at some of the starts: in Budapest I had the best start, in Spa I had the second-best start, and there's other races you have the 18th-best start and you have to figure out why. There's always things to improve. That's just how Formula 1 is and that's what I love about it."

Hamilton says that the motivation he gets from striving to be better is enough to convince him that he wants to stay in F1 for quite a while.

"I love doing what I do. One or two years ago, it was more of a question of how long I would be going, but I'm enjoying it more and more, as I navigate through this beautiful thing called life, and position my life differently, and have these other things that I also get to enjoy.

"So, I'm excited for what's around the corner for 2021. Motivation-wise, it's easy, it's never ever been a question. But I'm excited to see the way the sport shifts.

"It'll be interesting to see whether they do a good job or whether they do a bad job, and how I can be a part of helping shift that for the future generation."

[In-A-Gadda-Davidoff]

Ferrari really pulled a rabbit out of the hat today.  Plagued all year with a lack of pace in the slower sections, I sure didn't expect to see them gain so much pace through the slow corners.  I don't think anyone anticipated them to have the qualifying pace that they did.  It'll be interesting to see if their race pace can take the fight to Mercedes and Red Bull.  I still have doubts that they have found a way to manage their tires and have competitive pace in the slower sections.  Leclerc once again is showing why he is the future of Ferrari.  Another inopportune error by Vettel probably cost Ferrari the front row lockout.

[MIKA27]

Sebastian Vettel ends year-long drought with Singapore GP victory

Sebastian Vettel ended a 392-day win-less streak as he fronted a Ferrari 1-2 during a Singapore Grand Prix that was dictated by pit stop strategy.

Vettel, who had not claimed victory since last year's Belgian Grand Prix, used the undercut to jump from third to first during the pit stop phase, after which he was never headed.

It marked a record fifth Singapore Grand Prix win for Vettel, following on from prior successes in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. 

Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc classified a frustrated second as his chance of a hat-trick of wins slipped away, but his runner-up position ensured Ferrari's first 1-2 result since Hungary 2017.

Lewis Hamilton extended his first stint longer than his opponents but the overcut failed to pay off and he slipped from second to fourth, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen taking the final podium spot.

Hamilton nonetheless extended his title advantage over Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who placed fifth.

The top six drivers all maintained their grid positions through a relatively uneventful start procedure, and spent the early stages in cruise mode in order to save tyres.

At one point the pace was 13 seconds slower than the ultimate Q3 pace, with drivers who had stopped for first lap damage – Nico Hulkenberg and George Russell – actually trading best lap times for a spell. 

Third-placed Vettel was the first to pull the pin on lap 19, followed in by fourth-placed Verstappen, while a lap later leader Leclerc came in to change tyres, all switching to Hard tyres.

Hamilton remained out, inheriting the lead, while through stopping one lap earlier Vettel was able to jump Leclerc, who radioed his frustration at the situation.

Hamilton pushed on at a relatively tardy pace, acknowledging to Mercedes that "I know the times aren't great but it's all they have," before coming in on lap 26.

That dropped him behind Verstappen, ostensibly leaving the Ferrari drivers a net 1-2, as they worked their way through yet-to-stop midfield drivers.

Vettel battled his way past Daniel Ricciardo and Lance Stroll before compliant leader Antonio Giovinazzi – becoming the first driver from outside a top three team to lead a race since 2015 – moved aside. 

That left Vettel at the head of the race while Leclerc worked his way through to second, by which time the four-time World Champion had established a six-second advantage.

The remainder of the front-runners were also strung out by the time the late stoppers were cleared, with Verstappen four seconds down on Leclerc, Hamilton six seconds further back, and Bottas facing another four seconds to his team-mate.

However that deficit was soon reduced as the Safety Car was deployed on lap 36, when backmarkers Romain Grosjean and Russell clashed through Turn 8.

Grosjean tried to pass Russell around the outside of the corner but the pair collided, with Russell tipped into the wall on the outside, causing terminal damage to his FW42.

There was only a brief interlude of green flag racing, in which the leading positions did not change, before Sergio Perez's Racing Point slowed and stopped along the back straight. 

Leclerc requested maximum engine modes and suggested the situation was "not fair" while insisting he "wouldn't do anything stupid", as Ferrari issued a message to bring the car home.

Vettel preserved his lead at the restart, given with 14 laps to go, followed by Verstappen and the two Mercedes drivers, but the Safety Car was called once more just a few laps later.

Daniil Kvyat tried to pass Kimi Raikkonen into Turn 1 but the pair clashed, leaving Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo stranded in the run-off with broken front-right suspension. 

That final incident left a 10-lap sprint to the chequered flag but none of the front-runners seriously challenged each other as they all spread out around the 23-turn Marina Bay Circuit. 

Behind the two Ferraris, Verstappen and the two Mercedes drivers was Alexander Albon, who remained at the back of the lead sextuplet throughout, while Lando Norris was an excellent seventh for McLaren.

Pierre Gasly, who was briefly second on account of running a Hard/Medium approach, rose to eighth, ahead of Renault's Nico Hulkenberg, while erstwhile leader Giovinazzi rounded out the top 10. 

Grosjean, after his clash with Russell, wound up 11th, narrowly fending off Carlos Sainz Jr., whose prospects were dented when he was hit by Hulkenberg on the first lap.

Lance Stroll sustained a puncture when he brushed wheels with Gasly but recovered to 13th spot, while Daniel Ricciardo was involved in a scrape with Giovinazzi as he took 14th.

Kvyat, Robert Kubica and Kevin Magnussen were the final classified runners.

The next round of the season will take place at the Sochi Autodrom, Russia, next weekend.

[MIKA27]

Charles Leclerc wants answers to Ferrari's Singapore strategy

Charles Leclerc says he wants answers to Ferrari's strategy which potentially cost him a third victory of the season at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Monegasque driver led the field away from pole and managed his pace to control the race whilst looking after the fragile red-marked Soft Pirelli tyres.

Leclerc was caught out by Ferrari's call to pit team-mate Sebastian Vettel on lap 19, and when he himself pitted two laps later, emerged behind Vettel with the undercut strategy working for the German, who went on to claim the victory with Leclerc taking second.

When asked about the call – of which Leclerc was visibly frustrated by over team radio – he replied: "The only answer I need [from the team] is that was there no other way for us to be first and second in the same order before the pit-stop?

"This is the only answer I need," he added.

"I don’t know if I could have stopped earlier, I’m pretty sure it was not possible otherwise I would have done that as you never usually undercut one car with the other in the same team. I’m pretty sure this was the case, I just need the confirmation.

"It’s frustrating. I’ve had a good qualifying yesterday, I stuck to the plan at the beginning of the race. We had to slow down as much as we could for the pit window to not open for the others and then started to push… I did not expect the undercut, but that’s life and sometimes it goes that way."

Despite his frustration at losing another possible victory, he vowed to come back stronger at the next race in Russia and applauded Ferrari's 1-2 finish – their first of the season and the first-ever for a team at the Singapore GP.

"It’s always difficult to lose a win like that, but at the end, it’s a one-two for the team and I’m happy for that, it’s the first one from the season, so all the guys deserved it.

"We arrived here hoping for maybe a podium and we come back with a one-two, so for that, I’m extremely happy.

"Of course I’m disappointed on my side, as anyone would be, but it’s sometimes like this, it goes that way and I’ll come back stronger."

[MIKA27]

Ferrari considered swapping drivers amid undercut surprise

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says the team considered instructing Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc to swap positions in Singapore, having been surprised at the effect of the undercut.

Formula 1’s front-runners lapped at a slow pace during the early stages in order to preserve their tyres, and on lap 19 third-placed Vettel was called into the pits.

Leclerc, who had led the race from pole position, came in one lap later but emerged from his stop behind his team-mate, who also jumped long-running Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel and Leclerc, who expressed his frustration at the situation during the race, maintained their positions through to the chequered flag.

“The undercut was effectively more powerful than expected, it was 3.9 seconds,” said Binotto.

“We were not expecting such a big number. As a matter of fact, when we stopped Sebastian, we thought when Charles stopped the lap after, he would be ahead of Sebastian.

“Sebastian drove well, got the undercut of 3.9 seconds, that’s the difference.

“As first, I understand Charles somehow is a bit disappointed because he was trying to do his best to win the race, and I think he did whatever he could to win the race.

“Did we consider the swap? Yes, we did. I think we thought at that stage at least it was the right choice not to do it.

“Obviously now, we are still discussing with the drivers if that was the right choice or not, which internally we still have different opinions to discuss. But yes, we thought about it.”

Binotto added that Leclerc would have been susceptible to getting mired in traffic had they used the undercut to protect him against second-placed Hamilton.

“We have always given the advantage to the car ahead, that’s normally the rules we are doing,” he stressed.

“But in that case, you would not stop Charles as first he was leading the race, he would have been in traffic, and that would have been the wrong move.

“The opposite, [Max] Verstappen was ready to stop, we knew that, and the best way to protect Sebastian’s position was to stop him. It was the right timing to stop Seb.

“Following that it was the right timing to stop Charles. I think it was a one-two or two-one.”

[MIKA27]

Lewis Hamilton: Easy victory had Mercedes used undercut

Lewis Hamilton says he and Mercedes would have taken an “easy” Singapore Grand Prix victory had they used the undercut strategy.

Hamilton emerged as the main rival to Charles Leclerc through the opening stint as the front-runners lapped substantially off the pace in order to preserve tyres.

Third-placed Sebastian Vettel triggered the phase of pit stops when he came in on lap 19, with Leclerc following suit a lap later.

Hamilton was told by Mercedes to do the opposite to Leclerc and he consequently stayed out for another six laps, but he gradually drifted away from contention.

Hamilton emerged from the pit lane in fourth place, behind Max Verstappen, while Vettel’s undercut enabled him to jump into first, where he remained through to the chequered flag.

“I knew that we should have undercut,” said Hamilton. “I knew it this morning as well in the brief, I was like ‘I should take the risk’, but they [the team] didn’t.

“But we win and lose together as a team so we will take this on our chin. It’s painful for us because we could have easily won today but it just didn’t work out.”

Hamilton also urged Mercedes to step up its game in the wake of a third straight defeat by Ferrari.

“It feels like they are hungrier than us,” said Hamilton.

“We’ve just got to step it up. We’ve got the ability and we’ve got the team, we’re still the best team. We’ve just got to stop dragging our feet and get on.

“We’ll debrief or re-huddle, get back in the scrum and come back fighting at the next race.”

[MIKA27]

Stewards ruined my weekend rues 'frustrated' Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo believes stewards at the Singapore Grand Prix “ruined my weekend” in the wake of his exclusion from qualifying, which impacted on his race.

Ricciardo had qualified in eighth position but a power surge from his MGU-K was detected during Q1, and he was disqualified.

Renault later confirmed that the lap time gain from the unexpected surge, caused by a kerb hit, was a microsecond.

Ricciardo was involved with a clash with Antonio Giovinazzi in the race and classified 14th, and was left frustrated at his Saturday sanction.

“If that is something that is happening consistently through the session, I’d understand,” said Ricciardo when asked by Motorsport Week on his reaction. “If every lap I’m getting a micro second gain, then I’d understand, ok eliminate me from the session.

“But it happened on one occurrence for one milli-second on one lap. And the lap did not affect my qualifying. Delete that lap.

“We have the track limit rule, if you gain an advantage then that lap is deleted.

“So it seems very simple to do that. They didn’t feel the need.

“I have some strong words for them, but I’ll leave that…but I think you know what I feel. They ruined my weekend. A 12-hour flight return, I feel was bit for nothing. So maybe they will pay for my seat on the way home tomorrow.”

Speaking further on how he digested the development, Ricciardo said: “It affected my sleep heavily. I was frustrated.

“Just being honest now, it is hard to then switch off because you have so many scenarios running through your head.

“A lot of anger, and you feel hard done by because I’ve never pissed off anyone there personally. I don’t have a grudge on anyone. I’d think just a bit of common sense would prevail.

“I’m running through all these scenarios in my head while I’m in bed trying to sleep. And therefore it is a bit of a restless night.”