Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg might have been hoping for a straight fight in Singapore, but the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel have given themselves a great platform to interrupt the Mercedes duo’s private battle for the world championship.
“Coming into the weekend we thought that if we could be within two- or three-tenths of Mercedes then there was a realistic chance to stay with them in the race,” said Ricciardo. “We actually ended up closer to them than we thought in qualifying, so that’s good. If the start goes okay then it’s about trying to be smart and doing something with the strategy.”
The Australian is the only non-Mercedes driver to have won in 2014 and he’s proven particularly adept at picking up the pieces when the Silver Arrows falter. He also has little to lose in terms of the championship, which makes him a dangerous proposition for Hamilton and Rosberg.
“If I can get close, then I’ll have a go,” Ricciardo said menacingly after qualifying. “I haven’t been shy doing that this year, but it’s difficult on a street circuit.”
Don’t forget Alonso
“If you had told me yesterday that we would still be competitive in qualifying, probably I wouldn’t have believed it. And in fact this fifth place is a bit different to usual, because the gap to pole is really small. This weekend, I’ve felt comfortable right from the first session and probably much of that is down to the characteristics of the track. It’s impossible to compare it to other races, because this one and Monaco are a law unto themselves. But definitely, we have made a step forward since the start of the season and I’m sure the car will continue to improve right the way to the end. Tomorrow’s race will be long and very demanding from a mechanical point of view. Reliability will play a key role as will tyre management, which could make a big difference.”
So who will get it?
Rosberg is still in trouble with is sterring wheel (12:51 GMT).