World championship leader Lewis Hamilton goes into Formula One’s historic night race at the Singapore Grand Prix knowing he needs to keep his nerve, with Felipe Massa breathing down his neck.
Sunday’s start will be a new experience for every driver on a street circuit under powerful spotlights and with monsoon rain a possibility, making qualifying vitally important.
They must also adjust to an 8pm local time race start, and qualifying on Saturday at 10pm local time.
After losing his appeal on Tuesday to have his win at the Belgian Grand Prix reinstated, the 23-year-old Briton only has a slender one-point advantage over his Brazilian rival.
Hamilton knows he can’t afford any mistakes as he looks to shore up his lead with just four grands prix left.
”He [Massa] is the guy I have to beat. He has a good car and is a good driver,” said Hamilton, who only managed seventh place at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza two weeks ago while Massa finished in sixth.
”Singapore is a night-time circuit, which none of us has experienced before, but we’ll be OK.
”I have to make every sacrifice in the last four races. I honestly feel confident in my ability to win the championship.”
Hamilton admitted to making an error in his choice of tyres for qualifying in Italy, and his McLaren team will be keen not to make the same mistake here on what is expected to be a fast circuit where overtaking will be possible.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says much hinges on the outcome of the race, which he insisted be held at night to satisfy European television audiences.
”Whoever wins this, whether it’s Hamilton or Massa, will probably be the champion,” he told the Straits Times in Singapore.
”This is a very important race for the championship.”
Massa has vowed to fight to the bitter end, and is ready for a wet race as rain lashed Singapore on Wednesday.
”This year, we have seen a lot of rain in the races,” said the Ferrari driver.
”But we are keeping our feet on the ground and we are working day by day. All I must do is to keep trying to make sure I’m in front of Hamilton.”
Defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen knows he needs a miracle if he wants to retain his title, and now faces the prospect of having to support teammate Massa in his bid for the championship.
The Ferrari star sits fourth in the standings after failing to get a podium place at Monza, and is 21 points behind Hamilton.
”It’s been a long time without a win for me and the list of races without points is growing,” he said.
”I crossed the line at Monza without gaining any points. Five times and no points in the standings is really a lot; you don’t have to be an Einstein to understand that this is not the right way to fight for a title.
”It’s not over yet, but now it will take a miracle, like the one that makes lightning strike twice.”
Raikkonen has not claimed a victory since the Spanish Grand Prix in April and was overshadowed at Monza by 21-year-old German wonder Sebastian Vettel, who made F1 history by becoming the youngest driver to win a race.
Vettel, racing for Toro Rosso, stunned the field in Italy by taking a car with no winning pedigree to dominate the race and cross the finish line first.
It earned him comparisons with Michael Schumacher and how he fares in Singapore will be keenly analysed.
BMW Sauber have two drivers still in contention for the world title with Poland’s Robert Kubica 14 points adrift of Hamilton and German’s Nick Heidfeld 25 points behind.
The Pole said that he favours streets circuits and was raring to go.
”Racing on new tracks is always interesting — I enjoy it very much and I am very excited,” he said.
”Beyond that, I am extremely happy to race on another street circuit as I am a big fan of street circuits. From a driver’s perspective, I think it does not make a big difference whether we race in the daylight or at night.” — Sapa-AFP