At the Italian GP two weeks ago the stewards were again criticised, this time for letting the race end under a safety car instead of throwing a red flag and allowing for a grandstand finish between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
Singapore could hit both these issues head on. The tight and twisty confines of Singapore are the perfect environment for F1 chaos, which could be exacerbated by the rain and storms which are possible on Saturday and probable Sunday.
2017 was a prime example, with Sebastian Vettel, Verstappen, Kimi Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso all coming together at the first corner on a slick, wet track.
If it does rain on Sunday, will they delay the race or run the start behind a safety car to avoid a similar situation?
Mercedes could snatch a victory
One question yet to be answered is whether this is a track which will suit the current Mercedes.
The W13 performs better at tracks which are less reliant on power, with it being a car which suffers from too much drag. But with porpoising also an issue for the Silver Arrows, it might not enjoy riding over the Singapore bumps.
Toto Wolff sounded cautiously optimistic in his predictions for the race. “I think that track layout should suit our car,” he said. “The bumps not. On the simulations again it says it should be one of our better tracks, but I’m trying to stay on the, let’s say careful side, with any predictions.”
Will Verstappen win the title in Singapore?
Max Verstappen can clinch his second drivers’ title this weekend if he wins and Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez finish down the field.
What looked in the early races this year to be an almighty title scrap between the Dutchman and the Monégasque turned into a stroll for the former, as a combination of reliability, strategic blunders and driver error have torpedoed Ferrari’s championship challenge on both fronts.
Verstappen can win the championship this weekend if he claims victory with fastest lap, and Leclerc finishes eighth or lower and Perez fourth or lower.
If he wins without the fastest lap, Verstappen will be champion if Leclerc finishes ninth or lower and Perez is, again, fourth or lower.
Red Bull’s lead man says however that he’s focusing purely on the race at hand.
“I don’t really think about it,” he stated pre-race interviews. “It’s quite a long shot. I just want to enjoy the weekend and, of course, try to win it.”
McLaren vs Alpine battle hots up
With six races left, the battle for fourth in the constructors’ championship between McLaren and Alpine is in full flow.
After enjoying a performance edge but not executing on weekends as well as McLaren early on in the season, the Enstone team appears to now be firing on full cylinders.