By Ian Lockwood
September 23 2010
The F1 World Championship leader looks ahead to this weekends race.
"There’s a great vibe in Singapore ahead of this year’s race. Everyone’s talking about Sunday’s grand prix and I’m told there’s been a great demand for tickets, which is unsurprising when you consider the state of the world championship battle.
"My sixth place in Monza was enough to get me back into the lead of the points’ table, but there’s still a long way to go before anyone is crowned world champion. We have five races left and five drivers still in with a shout of winning.
"The last time we were at a slow racetrack like Singapore’s Marina Bay circuit, the performance of the RB6 was off the scale. Sebastian and I locked out the front row of the grid and I won the race. There have been some rule changes since then, however, so I’m expecting a tougher weekend in Singapore. But we only need a bit of an advantage to make other people’s lives very difficult.
"The Marina Bay circuit is enjoyable to drive. Like all street tracks, it’s as much a battle between you and the circuit as it is a battle with the other drivers. You have to run close to the barriers to get the most from the car and when you get it right, it’s a great feeling. It also makes you very difficult to pass.
"Singapore is the only night race on the calendar, but that doesn’t make it any easier for the drivers. At 10pm the temperature is still 30 degrees-plus, with 70 percent humidity, so it’ll be very hot in the cockpit. At least they’ve re-surfaced a lot of the track ahead of this year’s race, so the bumps shouldn’t be as bad.
"I haven’t had much luck in Singapore in the past. Mechanical problems stopped me in both of the country’s races to date and I want to put that bad luck to bed on Sunday."