Singapore Grand Prix 2018
The obvious must be stated about the Singapore Grand Prix: this is one of the races in the Formula 1 calendar with an allure that is pretty hard to ignore.
Just imagine 20 of the fastest cars on the planet racing in one of the narrowest and technically demanding tracks set against a beautiful Singaporean backdrop. That thought alone should be more than enough to get many a motorsport fan into euphoria.
We’re at the point of the season where every point now really matters to how a driver or a team will end up on the standings at the end of the season. This race could easily turn the two-horse race at the top on its knees; it could also alter how the standings at the constructor table would look like.
There are virtually only two teams with great Formula 1 2018 odds ahead of this race, but anything can happen in the beautiful night race that is the Singapore Grand Prix!
Talking Points
There are only 30 points separating Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. With only a race’s worth of points acting as a buffer between the two rivals, I don’t think the British Mercedes ace is comfortable with his situation at the moment. He will need to finish first at the Marina Bay Street Circuit if he wants to maintain the distance between him and Vettel.
However, his biggest concerns with Scuderia Ferrari is the fact that the Prancing Horse gets going when it comes to qualifying and the start of the race. The fact that Kimi Raikkonen is at the top of everybody else at the end of the second free practice session is a testament to the brilliance of Ferrari engineering.
Moreover, Vettel brilliantly drove past him in the Belgian Grand Prix last time out, making the most out of the Charles Leclerc-Fernando Alonso crash to get ahead of Hamilton and stay there for the rest of the race.
He also said that his biggest enemy is himself, and this means that he will be focusing on improving his mental strength and discipline ahead of this very unique race. It would mean terrible things to Hamilton’s season if Vettel gets pole position on this track.
Moreover, Vettel is not the only driver Hamilton has to worry about. The narrow, brake-heavy track means that whatever latent power the Mercedes and Ferrari machines have over the competition will be neutralised. This gives way for almost all of the top drivers in the competition to give the top dogs a run for their money on the track.
Red Bull Racing have performed brilliantly over the first two free practice sessions and will be a considerable threat once all the red lights go off. Charles Leclerc, the man in the middle of Formula 1 2018 news as the new driver behind Vettel next season, will also be looking to score points here and build his form ahead of his switch to the Scuderia. Fernando Alonso also has this race as his best chance to snag a Grand Prix victory in his final F1 season.
Of course, Hamilton isn’t the only one riddled with problems ahead of this race. After all, all of them have to contend with a very tricky track. The narrow track makes the already-few overtaking opportunities much harder. The fact that the race is done at night will make tyre management a very tricky deal compared to the other races. The weather forecast predicts that there will be rain, making the race a whole lot more dangerous as well.
History
There are a lot of things Hamilton will have to contend with, but I’m pretty sure that he doesn’t mind the challenge of winning once again in Singapore. He won the second-ever Singapore Grand Prix in 2009 and won two more ever since. His latest victory, which was last year’s race, saw Vettel crash out of the race in lieu of him beating three other racers to finish at the top.
However, the true master of the track has got to be Vettel. The German driver won three straight Singapore GPs (2011-2013) with Red Bull and won the 2015 edition. He is the winningest driver in this young Grand Prix’s history and he will do everything to clinch his fifth.
If there’s one favourite that can pull off a surprise win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, it would definitely have to be Alonso. The 37-year-old Spaniard won the first-ever F1 race on Singaporean soil after starting 15th on the grid. It would be a picturesque end to a brilliant career if he wins here.
What are the odds?
Vettel’s laser-sharp focus, combined with the manner he won the last grand prix, makes him the easy favourite by leading bookies like SBOBET to win the race. They gave him 1.75 outright odds to win the competition, and there’s little doubt that he will make a lot of noise in Singapore.
Hamilton is a far second with 4.50, and he would definitely count on the fickleness of the track to help him skip some places and somehow finish in front of his German rival. Kimi Raikkonen follows the Briton in the books with his 5.50. Max Verstappen has 8.00, and his soon-to-be-former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo has 9.00.
If you’re looking for a wild bet to win you lots of cash, consider Fernando Alonso’s 201.00. McLaren’s first driver will be raring to finish after crashing out of Belgium, and this track offers him the best chances of making it out of the pack and into the forefront.
Of course, everything will depend on him performing well in the qualifiers, but this fan can dream!
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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