Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez
2013 Qualifying - 10th, 2013 Race - 12th
"I am looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix, as it is one of my favourite tracks. The fact that the race is hold at night brings a great atmosphere, which I really enjoy. Because of the high humidity, racing is a physical challenge there. I remember last year, not only when I was driving, but even more so when I finished the race, I noticed how much energy this climate consumed. Overall I have good memories from Singapore. In 2013 we had a good qualifying, and it was the first time I made it into Q3. In terms of track layout, I think the characteristics will suit the C33. We have been working intensely on the mechanical set-up of the car, which will be crucial on this circuit, as the track has many tight corners and only a few short straights. I am really looking forward to the weekend, and especially to getting the maximum out of the updates to the car we are having there. It is going to be an interesting race, and there is a realistic chance for a positive result."
Adrian Sutil
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 10th
"Driving on the track in Singapore is good fun, and, on top of that, it is a street circuit which I personally like a lot. The circuit has relatively short straights and 23 corners, which makes it the track with the most corners on the calendar. Sheer engine power is not crucial here; rather a high mechanical grip is important because of the many tight corners. Good stability of the car as well as high downforce will be essential, as the circuit has several kerbs and is quite bumpy in some places. I think we will have the best chance for a better result there. Moreover, the night race in Singapore is always special and offers the spectators a great backdrop. I am looking forward to the Asian trip; the Singapore Grand Prix is one of the season highlights."
Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"Considering that the Singapore track is one of those circuits which are less dependent on engine power, as well as the fact that we will be introducing an aerodynamic update package with a new engine cover and a modified front wing, the team is feeling quite positive about regrouping in Singapore. The night race on the street circuit is one of a kind; the track offers the typical engineering challenges of a street circuit with the need for mechanical grip, traction, stability and cooling on top of the job list. To the drivers it is unforgiving in places, it is therefore essential to provide them with a set-up they can fully trust. The show will benefit from Pirelli's compound choice of soft and supersoft, and the safety car deployment rate of 100 percent in the races so far."
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
2013 Qualifying - 5th, 2013 Race - 5th
“It was a good feeling to finally get back on the top step at Monza - especially after another tough start to the race. The car was just flying out there after those difficult first few laps and it was great to be able to capitalise on the pace I felt I'd had right from the beginning of the weekend. Obviously, with Nico coming second I haven't been able to close the gap too much - but there's still plenty of points to be won and I'm glad to have taken a step forwards. Despite the highs and lows, I'm still well and truly in the hunt for the championship and that is something that gives me huge motivation for the final six races - starting in Singapore. It's a great place to begin the final flyaway phase of the season. The city is buzzing and the track is mega. It's a street circuit and I love street circuits. I won there in 2009 which was a really special experience, plus I had a podium - which should really have been a win - at the first race in 2008. My luck hasn't been great at this circuit since then but hopefully that will change next weekend.”
Nico Rosberg
2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 4th
“Even though it didn't work out quite the way I'd hoped, there were still plenty of positives to take away from Monza. Once again our Silver Arrow looked super quick compared to our rivals and hopefully we can carry that right through to the end of the season. Of course, I was disappointed to drop points to my team mate in the championship battle - but I still have the lead and I'm determined to hold on to it. Next up it's the Singapore Grand Prix, which is definitely one of the highlights of the year. There's an amazing atmosphere and the whole city really comes to life for the race weekend. It's just unreal - I would really recommend anybody to go there if they can as it's a fantastic experience. The circuit, the city, the atmosphere... everything! The way they basically shut down a whole place just for Formula One is incredible and it's amazing to think of all the work that must go into making it happen. I got my second ever podium here with P2 in 2008 and I generally enjoy street circuits, so I'm looking to go one better this time around.”
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Italy was a fantastic way to wrap up the European phase of the season after a tough few weekends at the preceding races. It was our first one-two finish since Austria and, realistically, the results in between had not matched the high standards we set ourselves as a team. To see both drivers on the top two steps was a thoroughly deserved reward for all the hard work put in by the people at Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart. Lewis produced a fantastic drive to recover from a difficult start and take a well-earned win. For Nico, it was unusual to see a few mistakes when he is usually so consistent - but he has all the mental strength required to bounce back. Away from the racing, it's been a busy week for both the team and for Formula One. On track, it has been confirmed that we will now see less radio traffic. This is a complex and controversial decision which will require a significant effort from the teams to understand how best we can work around it. The directive is not yet fully clear and there will inevitably be some controversy, so it will need further clarification as to how much the essential on-track procedures will be affected - particularly before the start of the race. Also, in the wider world of the sport, we have seen Luca di Montezemolo stand down from his position at Ferrari. Mr di Montezemolo has been an iconic figure in Formula One for many, many years and I personally wish him all the very best. Looking ahead, we now approach the final six races of the season - beginning with the spectacular Singapore Grand Prix. This is an event which the entire paddock looks forward to each year, and we fully intend to kick off the final third of the season with another top result.”
Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
“As a team we were incredibly happy with the result in Monza. It's one of the great circuits of the season and a challenging one to take a win, let alone achieve a one-two finish, so that was extremely satisfying. They were fantastic drives from both Lewis and Nico and it was a welcome return to winning ways. Singapore is a race that I'm sure the whole paddock looks forward to. It's a glamorous event with a fantastic atmosphere - to the extent that standing on the starting grid under the thousands of spotlights feels much like being on stage, waiting for the theatre to begin. It really is a unique weekend - not least because of the peculiar timings. The circuit itself could not stand as more of a contrast to Monza, with a lot of low-speed corner content. The demands on the car are still very high in terms of braking, steering and also the engine. It's also a long race - often running to the full two hour limit and frequently characterised by safety cars. It's a tricky one to manage no matter what position you might be in, with fortune playing a part depending on the nature and timing of any issues which may arise. It's always an action-packed, incident-filled race, with the nature of the track and the heat playing a role in retirements - both mechanical and by human error. We'll be aiming to steer clear of any drama and come away with another strong result as the season enters its final third.”
Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 1st, 2013 Race - 1st
“I love to come to this amazing and also very clean city. The race track is a bumpy ride and you are being jogged around a lot in the driver’s seat. The circuit is fun but at the same time very challenging. You have to get close to your limits and risk a lot, in order to get the greatest efficiency out of your car. The toughest challenges in Singapore are the heat and the amount of turns. The chicanes are very difficult to drive and you barely get to catch your breath. Very important for a fast lap is the last turn before heading to the start finish line. There is an extremely high curb, which you should not hit otherwise the car lifts up. My greatest memories are the wins of 2011, 2012 and 2013, because I think it’s one of the toughest races of the year. It’s very long, there’s no space for mistakes and the race just seems to go on forever.”
Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 9th, 2013 Race - DNF
“When you walk around on Thursday, the surface always looks pretty dirty. Modern street races like this tend to wash and scrub the track but even that doesn’t really change the fact that what you’re driving on is a public road with all the grit and grime and dirt that those have. It means you’re in for a slithery, bumpy weekend - which I love! The important thing in Singapore is to not get caught chasing the set-up on a Friday. The track is going to evolve, you’ve just got to be patient and let it happen without constantly tweaking your car, trying to hit a moving target. It’s one of those races where you’re never completely satisfied with the amount of preparation that you do.”
Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - DNF
“The track is really impressive with some technical parts and some classic street circuit ‘90 degree’ turns. There are a few decent straights but it is mainly busy, busy, busy for us, with corner after corner. Going over landmarks like the (Anderson) Bridge and down the Raffles Boulevard make for a fantastic sight from both the cockpit and also for the TV viewers. This year will be interesting with the new cars. As we saw at Monaco, I am sure that the drivers will be working very hard in the cockpit, especially getting the power down out of the tight turns. And if it is wet at any stage then it will be particularly interesting.
“I really love racing at this track and in fact I love the country as a whole. The Singapore people are very friendly and it is nice to see so many coming downtown to the race. It has a completely unique vibe for the Grand Prix weekend and it takes on an ambience like nowhere else we go to.
“Last weekend was a difficult one for us because the nature of the Monza track was like a penalty. Singapore offers less in terms of compromising the downforce for straight-line speed, so we should be able to fight higher up the grid. We managed to get some points at Monaco, so I am hoping we can achieve something similar on this street circuit too.”
Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 18th, 2013 Race - 11th
“The traction will be fundamental at Singapore, a really big factor. This is because the corners are generally slow and tight, so it means the way we exit them will be critical to ensure a good lap time. The 2014 spec cars will make it very interesting out there and I expect it to be very tricky, especially the first and third sectors. This is where a lot of time can be won or lost. It will be tough to regulate the torque and the traction out of the slow-speed corners. It will be a good challenge but a tough one lap after lap. It should look good for the spectators and TV viewers though. Marina Bay is a test, but this is the reason we love to be F1 drivers. There is something new and challenging every year for us to get to grips with, literally in this case!
“It should be better at Singapore for us and a step forward from Monza. At this stage of the season it is not going to be a massive step, but we expect better things for sure. We will do our very best to make sure that we find a good balance for Singapore because it is a very particular track with lots of different challenges. Of course the one big challenge is the race and most of the other running happens later in the day.
“Overall it is a very demanding track where you get no rest at all really. You are constantly turning or braking and there are only two short straights, not enough to really have a proper rest. But I like it this way because you get a rhythm going quickly. Physically it is tough because the humidity is so high and the race so long, much longer than Monza for instance.”
Federico Gastaldi, Lotus deputy team principal
“Monza was always going to be very hard for us. Singapore should see an improvement in pace as the track characteristics will suit us more. The drivers are fighters and they really enjoy street circuits, so I think we have the potential to extract a good level of performance from the E22 there. Pastor and Romain will have a stronger package relative to Monza, so I am sure they will grasp this and make the most of it.”
Nick Chester, Lotus technical director
“It is a high-downforce track, so everybody will be running toward their maximum downforce set-up. Then it really is all about how you manage the mechanical set-up to get the best out of the car in terms of handling the kerbs. Ensuring a good level of grip in the low speed corners is also crucial at Marina Bay.
“In terms of energy management there is a lot of recovery on the brakes enabling you to recharge the battery quite nicely as there isn’t as much time full throttle as other tracks. It is probably more important to look after the car under braking here.
“There will be some new bodywork parts and some new mechanical parts for this race that we will evaluate in the free practice sessions.”
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