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On Wednesday, September 7, 2016, through an official press release from the new American ownership, confirmation arrived that Liberty Media Corporation has acquired Formula 1 from CVC, the British investment fund previously the owner of the Circus. The news had already leaked during the weekend of the Italian Grand Prix, also confirmed by Bernie Ecclestone himself, who, despite the change in leadership, will remain in his position for some time. Liberty Media operates in the field of media, communication, and entertainment and is owned by the magnate John Malone, a rival of Rupert Murdoch, who had previously attempted unsuccessfully to take over the Circus. The cost of the entire transaction, as stated in the press release, amounts to 8 billion dollars - the commercial value of Formula 1 - for a market value of 4.4 billion dollars. Liberty Media will acquire 100% of the shares of Delta Topco, the owner of the rights to the Grand Prix and the parent company of F1; currently, 18.7% of minority shares, equivalent to 746 million dollars, have been acquired. The agreement will be completed in the first quarter of 2017 when Liberty Media becomes the majority shareholder with a 35.5% stake, while CVC will retain a 24.7% stake after selling 13.4% of interests.
"Once the acquisition is completed, Liberty Media will own Formula 1, becoming part of Liberty Media Group, which will be renamed Formula One Group. The consortium of sellers led by CVC will own approximately 65% of the net assets of Formula One Group and will have representation on the Formula 1 board to support Liberty Media in the ongoing development of this sport. In addition, a representative of CVC will participate in the board of directors of Liberty Media".
Chase Carey, the current vice president of 21st Century Fox, will be the new chairman of the Board of Directors of Formula 1, while Bernie Ecclestone will continue to be the CEO of the Circus. Greg Maffei, president and CEO of Liberty Media, states:
"We are excited to become part of Formula 1. We believe that our experience in the world of media and sports, combined with a long-term vision, will allow us to do a good job with Formula 1 for the benefit of fans, teams, and shareholders. We look forward to working with Chase Carey and Bernie Ecclestone to support the new phase of growth of this sport popular worldwide".
Formula 1 President Chase Carey comments on his new role:
"I am excited about this new role and the opportunity to work alongside Bernie Ecclestone, CVC, and the Liberty Media team. I greatly admire this global sport that is Formula 1, capable of attracting millions of fans from all over the world every year. It is a great opportunity to help F1 in its continuous growth for the good of the sport, fans, teams, and investors".
In the meantime, two weeks after the Italian Grand Prix, the Formula 1 Circus moves to Singapore to compete in the fifteenth race of the World Championship at the Marina Bay circuit, 61 laps long and 5,065 meters in length. It was the first night race of the calendar back in 2008. A radical change of scenery compared to the Monza circuit; Singapore has high humidity rates, and combined with the constant risk of rain, make the course absolutely unpredictable, illuminated artificially by about 1700 projectors from an all-Italian system. But Singapore has a special flavor for Sebastian Vettel.
"I have beautiful memories of Singapore; there, in the past, I managed to win several times".
Sebastian Vettel recounts that last year he led from pole to finish, securing his third victory with Ferrari.
"It is a rather treacherous race. It does not take place in daylight and is a different challenge than usual, especially regarding the reference points around the circuit. The asphalt is uneven and rough, the track is long, and the laps last a long time, which requires staying focused for a long time. Usually, it is hot, and there is a lot of humidity, and it is difficult to stay in the car, but I think it is a race that everyone likes. There, we try to stay tied to the European time, and it is very strange because we stay awake until late and then get up in the middle of the day. It is a special Grand Prix for all drivers and teams".
Some have prepared with the sauna (like the Frenchman Ocon, to acclimate to the hot and humid weather of the Asian city), and some with voodoo rituals, as seen with Sebastian Vettel.
"I woke up optimistic. This is a particular race, it's always possible for the safety car to come out, many elements can be decisive. You can start fifth, but at the first corner, the four cars in front may go out. It's not the most elegant way to win, but on this type of track, anything can happen".
At least the German driver from Ferrari is sincere. It's been 365 days since Ferrari won a Grand Prix, precisely since Singapore 2015, and, sticking to the truth, Vettel admits to being surprised.
"Last year, I certainly didn't think that it would be my last victory in Ferrari for such a long time. After that success, we always hit the track giving our best and aiming to do our best. But these are the facts".
And the facts also say that this is a Red Bull circuit, so much so that even the team principal of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, says that the Anglo-German team is not the favorite this time. So, if not Hamilton and Rosberg, who to bet on?
"I would bet on myself".
Announces Daniel Ricciardo from the height of his stature and with a laugh. The Red Bull's lead driver has done the math and believes his predictions are correct.
"A very tough race, too hot, and concrete. You have to be at 100%".
That said, there are two or three variables:
"Artificial lights, Pirelli tires, strategy".
And maybe even the brakes, which can provide a lot of energy here.
"I'm curious to see what Ferrari's strategy will be, considering they have chosen different tire compounds from all the other teams".
Curiosity, however, is not only about technical and motor aspects but also about the business of the Circus. Gossip, previews, scenarios: everyone in the paddock tries to predict the scenario, ignoring that a new generation of drivers is already emerging on the track, and that will change the show a lot. But we are in a phase of the beginning, of study, so every hypothesis is still out of place.
The only reality is the packed schedules and full meetings of Liberty Media and Bernie Ecclestone, who are still sniffing around. The future is still uncertain, and that's what Ferrari wants to cling to, trying to forget the present. Although Vettel tries to make a distinction:
"Our season has certainly not been great, but we can't classify it as terrible either. We are critical of ourselves because we wanted to close the gap, and instead, there is still a gap. Sometimes wide, sometimes less, but it's there, and that's why we haven't won yet. And I don't think it's a matter of tracks; we need to work to improve the entire technical package. Without thinking about anything else".
There is nothing left but to wait for the words from the field, pardon: the track. On Friday, September 16, 2016, the two Red Bulls topped the time sheets in the first free practice session. Max Verstappen leads his teammate Daniel Ricciardo by a few thousandths of a second, and Sebastian Vettel by about 0.5 seconds. The two drivers from the Anglo-Austrian team set their best times using the Ultrasoft tire, while Mercedes, closing in fourth and fifth, prefer the use of the Soft compound, still marking very interesting lap times. Nico Rosberg makes a mistake at turn 18, with his car ending up against the barriers; however, the German manages to bring the car back to the pit. Technical issues limit the laps completed by Kimi Räikkönen, who finishes with the seventh time. During the first practice session, three drivers again test the Halo, the device designed by the FIA for driver head protection: in addition to Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso also try it. The German doesn't limit himself to just one lap but tests the equipment for several laps. Hamilton says he is willing to test this device for an entire Grand Prix, pointing out that it only limits the view of the rear wing, while Alonso is more critical, emphasizing the difficulty of entering and exiting the cockpit quickly. Romain Grosjean does not set any valid time, blocked in the pits by a battery failure. Thanks to the use of Ultrasoft tires, Nico Rosberg sets the best time in the second free practice session. The German driver precedes Kimi Räikkönen by 0.2 seconds and Max Verstappen by almost 0.4 seconds. The other Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, in his fastest attempt, remains over a second behind his teammate's time and is also forced to interrupt his race simulation due to a hydraulic problem. After the technical problems encountered in the first session, Romain Grosjean hits the barriers with the rear part of the car, destroying the rear wing. Several drivers make mistakes, such as Daniel Ricciardo, who spins, or the Spaniards Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr., who touch the barriers. The McLaren driver is forced to end the session early due to a technical issue with his car.
And so, the Friday practices are archived. Amidst some sparks (Ocon, Verstappen, Ricciardo stuck in the middle of the track) and some problems (see Rosberg first and Hamilton later, but also Vettel), the Formula 1 cars test on the Singapore city circuit. The times show Mercedes (Rosberg), then Ferrari and Red Bull. But, as the track has always shown, one thing is Friday, and another is Saturday. Each team enjoys using the tires they prefer, either for defense or to find the right setup, and then engineers and mechanics think and tweak what little is allowed by the FIA rules overnight. The truth is that, no one noticed, and no one wants to notice (and we hope they won't have to), that two ghosts are looming, and not insignificant ones: the first, the risk of terrorism. The second is Zika. Everything seems under control for the first one, after the arrest of a terrorist cell planning to launch a couple of missiles on Marina Bay, hoping to hit perhaps the two Mercedes or Ferraris. A problem not underestimated at all, so much so that law enforcement moving near the paddock indicates that the threats are not just rumors. Even politicians speak on TV without mincing words, publicly asking the population what it intends to do, what reaction to have in the face of a terrorist act, a cowardly response, or a reaction of great unity, great solidarity? Said the leader of the Polar Action Party, K. Shanmugan, while the government has demanded simulations to sensitize the population. That's how things stand. Now Zika is also added: the first case in August, a man returning from Brazil. And since then, the cases have become 350, with humidity certainly not helping as a repellent to the killer mosquito. Anyway, F1 drivers haven't noticed, and they certainly shouldn't be the predestined victims, more attentive to avoiding the trap of artificial lights. Saturday evening, at 3:00 p.m. European time, the qualifications. With one last ghost: rain. Singapore was a victim of it on Friday night, and then the day unfolded in the usual sultriness.
But with tropical downpours, there are no meteorologists who hold: they come when you least expect it. This Singapore 2016 seems to have all the air of holding surprises. Naturally satisfied with his result, albeit cautious, is Kimi Raikkonen:
"These are just the first free practice sessions, so we can't say much except that we performed better in the second than the first. There is still a lot to set up to make the car even more competitive. We will do our best, and let's see what happens tomorrow in qualifying".
On Saturday, September 17, 2016, the third and final practice session is interrupted early due to an incident involving Pascal Wehrlein. The need to clean the track forces the race direction to display red flags. Later, the two Mercedes take control of the session even before fitting the Ultrasoft tires. When the Anglo-German cars switch to this type of tire, Nico Rosberg further lowers the time, while Lewis Hamilton makes a mistake at turn 7, compromising his performance. Max Verstappen takes second place in the standings, followed by Kimi Räikkönen, with the three separated by 0.5 seconds. Sebastian Vettel experiences stability issues with his car. A few hours later, in Q1, the two Mercedes drivers immediately use Ultrasoft tires to secure a qualifying time for Q2 without having to continue in the first phase. Sebastian Vettel, however, is limited by a major technical problem with the anti-roll bar. This leads him to miss the last part of Q1 and be eliminated. Alongside the German, the two Manor cars, the two Renaults, and Felipe Nasr also fail to advance to the second phase, while Marcus Ericsson secures a valid time to progress, only in the final moments of the session. Daniel Ricciardo sets the best time in Q1. The Mercedes cars are the fastest in the second phase, again opting for Ultrasoft tires, while Red Bull Racing uses Supersoft tires, which they will also start the race with. A few seconds before the end of Q2, Romain Grosjean crashes his car into the barriers, and the session is halted to fix the protections. Apart from the Frenchman, Ericsson, the other Haas of Esteban Gutiérrez, Jenson Button, who also brushes a wall during the session, and the two Williams cars do not advance to the third phase. After a delay of about ten minutes, the decisive phase begins, with Nico Rosberg immediately setting an unbeatable time at 1'42"584. Behind him are Lewis Hamilton, then Kimi Räikkönen, and the two Red Bull Racing cars. Hamilton makes a mistake in the second attempt, while the two drivers from the Anglo-Austrian team improve their times, with Ricciardo securing the front row, and Verstappen managing to surpass Räikkönen. Rosberg secures his 29th career pole position. At the end of the session, Sergio Pérez is penalized with the loss of eight positions on the starting grid and three points on the Super License for not respecting the yellow flag regime during Q2. Five positions are attributed for not slowing down, and three for overtaking. Romain Grosjean is penalized with the loss of five positions on the starting grid for changing his gearbox. Sebastian Vettel replaces the gearbox, ICE, turbocharger, and MGU-H, resulting in a 25-position grid penalty, but he starts from the last position. The FIA denies the request from Red Bull Racing to replace Max Verstappen's clutch without incurring penalties on the starting grid. Sebastian Vettel's qualifying session lasts only five minutes, enough time to suddenly hear the voice of the German driver informing Ferrari via radio of problems, with a tone and words that leave no room for misunderstandings. A broken suspension, even a few words flying live:
"Get back on track".
Engineers tell him.
"It's nonsense".
The German driver replies, and the controversy publicly ends there. What happens in the box is not known.
"I was going on three wheels, and I couldn't go fast".
The German driver will say at the end of Q3.
"Starting last tomorrow? It doesn't matter; for today, it's over, but tomorrow we have a long race, probably with the safety car. At least we have new tires; it's not an ideal situation, but we can have a good race. Unfortunate? There is definitely a reason; something broke, we have to understand what and ensure it doesn't happen again, especially on Kimi's car. Certainly, for me, today was a shame".
So, the winner of the previous edition of the Singapore Grand Prix starts last, but this time it's really hard to imagine a miracle: his Ferrari wasn't on the tires, in the literal sense of the word: the car was off in the curves, lacked grip, the front left tire was in the air. A bad sight. Of course, Vettel wasn't the only one: Lewis Hamilton not only misses the pole but is also overtaken by Ricciardo and his Red Bull. The best time is naturally from Nico Rosberg, 0.5 seconds faster than the Australian, thus securing a lead in the overall standings, but we'll know more after the race. Nico Rosberg says at the end of the qualifiers:
"I am definitely happy with the result in view of my 200th Grand Prix. Certainly, today was one of my top three fastest laps ever. I knew I had to give it my all and strike while the iron was hot".
On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton is blunt after finishing third in the qualifiers:
"It hasn't been my weekend so far. Nico did a great job and showed the potential of the car".
Kimi Raikkonen is partially satisfied:
"We more or less got what we wanted with this car, maybe I pushed a bit too hard in the last attempt to improve, but I went wide already at turn one and spun a bit. It was the only way to improve, but then I lost some grip. We were a bit slow, but the car was quite drivable, not bad even though it's less than what we wanted".
We are not in the early '90s, the darkest period of Ferrari, but things are not much different. This is simply the state of the art at the Maranello team. The broken suspension in Singapore, with Sebastian Vettel's car dancing on three wheels, is not a good image. And the fact that Lewis Hamilton was very nervous because of his qualifying flop, with Nico Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo ahead, is not enough to ease Ferrari's pain. Just a year ago, the Maranello team won on this track. Since that September 20, 2015, only hopes and expectations have followed, stressing (let's say terrorizing?) mechanics and engineers. Twenty Grands Prix have passed, and this could be the twenty-first without a victory. Worse, in Ferrari's history, there are the streaks of 1991-1992-1993 with 59 races without a triumph; the 38 between Alboreto's victory in Germany in 1985 and Berger's win in Japan two years later; the 17 Grands Prix (1995-1996) before Schumacher's arrival, and from 1985 to 1987, the 43 races without a pole position. In Singapore, Sebastian Vettel starts last, and it can be debated whether that suspension strut break is entirely due to bad luck or not, but this season is starting to become terrible, although the German rejects the term with disdain. Even Raikkonen, fifth, uses words of resignation/frustration:
"We got more or less what we could from the car".
Too bad he also made mistakes. Of course, anything can happen in a Grand Prix, but hearing Vettel say that a long race awaits them, with many Safety cars, leaves doubts about his divining abilities.
The truth is that Ferrari in 2015 had managed to win three times, and this time, seven Grands Prix from the end of the World Championship, the risk of not winning is really strong. The last time, as mentioned, dates back to 1993. It would be a really hard blow to what were the initial ambitions of Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne, who openly spoke of a world title at the beginning of the year. A proclamation reiterated by Maurizio Arrivabene, the team principal, mid-season, stating that he hoped for a comeback, denying the evidence of facts. But this is the public story: behind the scenes, in Maranello, there has been a hot summer with arrivals and departures from the train station: Allison and De Beer, Lanzone, Spagnolo out; Cardile and Sanchez in to join Coletta and Resta. New names, young unknowns. Whose work obviously hasn't yet had an impact (they were called to design, not put patches on the present). Choices that, however, show a radical change in philosophy. These are no longer the times of big names, from John Barnard to Mauro Forghieri, Cesare Fiorio and Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Ross Brawn. Today at the helm is Mattia Binotto. If the in-house team (but not entirely, be clear) can assert itself, interpret the rules of 2017 well, and close the gap that has now widened, so much so that even Red Bull is ahead, we will only find out in February of next year. For now, as Vettel knows well, it's a matter of hoping for trouble and others' mistakes, that is, in Safety cars. On Sunday, September 18, 2016, Romain Grosjean did not participate in the Singapore Grand Prix due to a technical issue with the braking system on his Haas. At the start, there was a collision between Carlos Sainz Jr. and Nico Hülkenberg, with the German ending up against the wall. The race officials deployed the Safety Car to allow for track cleaning. The leaderboard had pole-sitter Nico Rosberg in the lead, followed by Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkönen, Fernando Alonso, and then the two Toro Rosso cars. On the seventh lap, following a report from the stewards, Sainz Jr. had to return to the pits to remove a piece of bodywork hanging dangerously from his car. On lap 13, Max Verstappen made a pit stop and switched to Supersoft tires. In the following laps, Fernando Alonso also pitted, and during lap 15, Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, and Daniil Kvyat made their first pit stops.
The Australian opted for Supersoft tires, while the British driver chose Soft tires. On lap 16, Nico Rosberg returned to the pits and switched to Soft tires, while on lap 17, Kimi Räikkönen made a pit stop and switched to Supersoft tires. The top four positions in the standings remained unchanged, with Rosberg leading Ricciardo, Hamilton, and Räikkönen. Sergio Pérez was fifth, while Sebastian Vettel was sixth; both had not yet made their first tire change. Vettel made his pit stop on lap 24, fitting Ultrasoft tires, while Pérez waited until the following lap. Vettel passed both Esteban Gutiérrez and Carlos Sainz Jr. in one go, re-entering the points zone in tenth place. During lap 28, Verstappen, unable to overtake Kvyat, made his second pit stop. Shortly after, Massa also pitted, allowing Vettel to climb to eighth place. Verstappen passed Pérez on lap 31, securing the tenth position. Meanwhile, during lap 32, Vettel managed to pass Magnussen, and the drivers in the top positions began their second round of pit stops. In the meantime, Kimi Raikkonen overtook Lewis Hamilton, taking advantage of a mistake by the British driver during lap 32. The standings, after the second series of stops, saw Nico Rosberg in the lead, followed by Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel, who had also overtaken Daniil Kvyat. During lap 38, Verstappen passed Magnussen, and, thanks to Kvyat's pit stop, he climbed to sixth place. In lap 42, Vettel switched to Ultrasoft tires, dropping to sixth place but regaining fifth place by taking advantage of Verstappen's pit stop during lap 44. Subsequently, during lap 45, Lewis Hamilton also pitted for his second stop. Kimi Räikkönen followed the strategy of the British driver, returning to the pits during the next lap, but upon rejoining the track, he found himself behind the Mercedes driver. Verstappen passed both Pérez and Kvyat during lap 48, dropping to seventh place. Ricciardo also fitted new tires in an attempt to close the gap with Rosberg, who decided to continue with the same tires until the end of the race. The Australian reduced the gap to the German by three seconds per lap, while Räikkönen closed in on Hamilton. Max Verstappen gained the sixth position by passing Fernando Alonso, while neither Daniel Ricciardo nor Kimi Räikkönen managed to threaten the two Mercedes drivers, although the Australian finished the race just 0.4 seconds behind Nico Rosberg.
The German driver won the Singapore Grand Prix, followed by Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez, Daniil Kvyat, and Kevin Magnussen. It was the third consecutive victory for Nico Rosberg, who thus reclaimed the lead in the World Championship standings, eight points ahead of his disliked teammate, Lewis Hamilton. A significant achievement for the German driver, who began to put pressure on the British driver, setting the stage for a more intense conclusion to the World Championship than expected. Of course, intense is relative; the World Championship still remains an internal matter within the Mercedes team, but it's already something.
"It wasn't an easy race, but it was a fantastic weekend with yesterday's pole position and today's great start. Ricciardo tried to outsmart me with the late pit stop; we knew it would be a tight battle, but it worked for us, and we are very happy. The standings? I'm not focused on points right now, only on the victory. The car was on the edge, as usual in Singapore, but after a race like that, the victory is even more satisfying".
On his part, Lewis Hamilton admits:
"It's not the sweetest podium for me, but I have to congratulate Rosberg because he had a fantastic weekend and deserved the win".
Fair play from the reigning World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, who finished third in the Singapore Grand Prix won by his teammate, Nico Rosberg, and saw himself overtaken in the standings.
"It was a complicated Grand Prix, but I'm still happy to be on the podium and bring home some points. I struggled a bit with overheating brakes and had to slow down, watching others pull away. In the end, we brought the situation under control".
And speaking of the standings, the Briton concludes:
"The situation is a bit different from last year, but considering everything that's happening, we're still in the fight. The road is still long, and I'll give it everything I have".
But back to the race: Daniel Ricciardo finished second, just a hair's breadth away. He said at the end of the race:
"We came very close, and I'm not very disappointed. We tried a strategy at the end, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I came close to victory. I pushed the tires a bit, and in the end, I made the race exciting".
Then Hamilton and down from the podium, Raikkonen ahead of an amazing Vettel, staging a comeback on a track where overtaking is rare: from last to fifth. The German did not let himself be discouraged by the disaster of the qualifiers and, in a challenging race all in attack mode, managed to pass practically everyone he could, even one more: a Red Bull, that of Verstappen, who, after an incredible negative start (he stalled causing an incident), couldn't unleash the enormous potential of his car. As for the rest, Vettel certainly couldn't expect to pass one of the two Mercedes, nor the other Red Bull starting from the front row, nor his teammate Raikkonen, who, by the way, had a beautiful race and a cinematic overtaking against Hamilton.
"I believe in this Ferrari and this team; I believe in a better future for us. Today went very well, and now we'll see each other in Malaysia".
This is how Vettel comments on the Singapore Grand Prix, not hiding his satisfaction with his comeback from last to fifth.
"It was a good race, better than last year, but considering where I started, it went well".
While Kimi Raikkonen expresses doubts about his team's strategy:
"Maybe something could have been changed; perhaps I could have stopped a lap earlier, but now it's too late. Hamilton made a mistake at turn seven, and I managed to overtake him, but the result didn't change. I don't know if I would follow the same strategy again".
Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix, with the cars finishing fourth and fifth, says:
"Today is better than yesterday. You're happy when you win, but the reaction is important. But what's important is feeling the warmth of the fans closer to us. Being close to the team in the most delicate moments makes a difference; it's easy when you win".
On the team's next moves, Maurizio Arrivabene assures:
"We have the right people; we need to make sure they work well. And certainly, for the next races, they will do something".
The Red Bull of Max Verstappen finished sixth ahead of Fernando Alonso's McLaren and Sergio Perez's Force India. A great race, right? Not exactly: once again, the protagonists were not the drivers but the incredibly complicated race strategies. This makes the race uncertain in its outcome, but in an artificial way: it seems more like a chess game than an actual race. This poses an obvious challenge for the general audience that doesn't understand what is happening on the track. It's also disheartening to see a competition on the track between very slow and very fast cars solely based on tire issues. The top automotive category certainly deserves more than such spectacles. Nico Rosberg has a secret dream: to win the World Championship just like his father, Keke, in a comeback. And, with six races to go, the goal is very close. He has returned to the top of the standings in Singapore, thanks to winning the third consecutive race (eighth of the season). He had lost the lead on July 24th in Budapest, the day when Hamilton thought the job was done, even extending his lead to 19 points after winning in Germany. Fortunately, the Rosberg family had the August break. Keke gathered the family council and reminded Nico of what happened 34 years ago in 1982 when he was also behind by sixteen points. Keke emphasized how he managed to win over Pironi and Watson by just five points. Keke highlighted to his son how he always won his races with strategy, earning him the nickname Mr. Cool. Nico listened attentively and took it to heart: he rested, cleared his mind, and returned stronger. Since the break, he hasn't missed a beat.
"Don't try, I'm focused on one step at a time. I don't think about the Championship, but the individual race. I'm simply happy for today".
Also, because Ricciardo, with his Red Bull, seemed really fierce in the last laps, even suggesting a dramatic ending:
"But we knew that, after his last pit stop, we would sweat. And honestly, I got worried when I started to see him in the rearview mirror. Daniel wanted to outsmart me; I had a shiver...".
And here, young Rosberg didn't panic but confirmed that 2016 could indeed be his year: the Barcelona accident and the antics in Spielberg and Hockenheim are now past, digested memories.
Who will need a digestive, in the coming days, is Lewis Hamilton: to overcome this weekend, he has appealed to all his linguistic and media skills, not to mention avoiding swearing against the French brakes (not Brembo's) he practically fought with all week.
"They were overheating, on the limit, so I couldn't push. I had to manage the situation, and that's how this Grand Prix went".
He lost the lead but not the spirit:
"I'm still in the battle; the championship is still long".
But Lewis knows well that in recent weeks, he has had to endure: his car hasn't been as brilliant as it was mid-season, and the next race is very close, with a temperature similar to Singapore.
"But at least it's not at night, and the track, not being a street circuit, has a different layout".
These are the variables Lewis Hamilton clings to, the F1 star, the personification of worldly success. The exact opposite of the good, clean-cut boy, the perfect family man that Nico Rosberg is. Genius and recklessness versus discipline and tactics:
"But let's add a great car, and the Mercedes secret lies in its engineers and mechanics who have never lost the desire, never sat down, always knew how to bring the right innovations".
Nico Rosberg concludes, winning convincingly:
"This was a Red Bull circuit, and we triumphed over Ferrari as well. In this circuit where we were defeated last year. We learned the lesson, understood the mistakes, and fixed them".
Then he stops, but he was about to add:
"This is a family. Mine, now more than ever".
The work of the Grand Prix is beyond satisfactory, but there is something unfinished at Ferrari. After all, Kimi Raikkonen clearly states it, finishing fourth with the illusion of the podium for a few minutes.
"We can be happy, but we're not where we would like to be".
You can say anything about the Finn, but sincerity is not something he lacks. The Singapore practice was closed on Saturday, with Vettel's broken suspension and Raikkonen's less than perfect qualifying. The safety cars predicted by the German were reduced to only one, spectacular and immediate, but it only served to keep Verstappen behind. Otherwise, the two Ferrari drivers did their duty. Sebastian Vettel admits:
"Considering where I started, I think I did the maximum; it's obvious that the failure penalized us a lot".
Starting from the last position on the grid, gaining seventeen positions is still a good outcome, including the double overtaking of Gutierrez and Sainz Jr. in one go.
"I hope to make more in the future".
Regarding the failure, Vettel added a detail:
"I think we'll have to redesign the anti-roll bar from which the problem originated".
Then contradicted by Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene:
"No, there's nothing to redesign, absolutely not. I believe there's a misunderstanding".
The only remaining question is the pit stop decision for Raikkonen after overtaking Hamilton:
"We wanted to attack, and the only way to do it was to stop. The data supported us. Our drivers drove great, and today, there's certainly great regret".
In Maranello, they are already thinking about the next Malaysian Grand Prix:
"We want to fight for the Constructors' World Championship standings".
And the new course?
"If Binotto has settled in? He's been here for twenty-five years…".