After a solid showing in front of the Tifosi at Monza, Ferrari head into the last section of the season with confidence of challenging Mercedes for race wins. Sebastian Vettel took the Scuderia’s ninth podium of the season, with second-place. Kimi Raikkonen came through the field after a poor getaway left him in last to claim fifth-place. His overtakes were the highlight of the race, and left critics in no doubt he still had the tools to perform at this level.
2015 Singapore Grand Prix Ferrari Preview
No. 5 Sebastian Vettel (DEU)
2015 Form: 2,12,1,3,4,5,2,3,5,3,1,3
2014 Singapore Grand Prix: Grid P4, Race P2
Vettel has the record for the most wins in Singapore. They all came in 2011, 2012, and 2013. He has two pole positions, in 2011 and 2013, and got the fastest lap two years ago. He has also stood on the podium on two other occasions. They were both second-places in 2010 and last year. His worst finish in Marina Bay came in 2008, where he finished in fifth-place. A fourth-place in 2009, after starting from second on the grid, means that Vettel is the only other driver, apart from Alonso, to finish in the points in every single Singapore Grand Prix. Vettel has the most points around Singapore, with 120 to Alonso’s 98.
No. 7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
2015 Form: 5,7,DNF,8,DNF,4,6,5,2,4,4,DNF
2014 Singapore Grand Prix: Grid P7, Race P8
With his two-season break from F1, Raikkonen has only had five outings here. His only podium came in 2013, when he finished in third place. In his first stint at Ferrari, he failed to score points in either race. In 2008, even though he posted the lap record, he crashed on lap 58 at turn 10. He was still classified as finishing in 15th place, as he had completed more than 90% race distance. In 2009, he only came in 10th place after a poor qualifying saw him start 13th on the grid. In his comeback year, he finally scored points. Coming from 12th on the grid, he finished in sixth-place.
With this being a low speed circuit and less reliant on power, then Ferrari will be hopeful that this may be a great opportunity for a third win of the season. Nico Rosberg will be needing to take risks that he now is lying 53 points of Lewis Hamilton, and this may play into the hands of Vettel, who must now consider coming second in the drivers’ championship a strong possibility.
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