//:: The Singtel Singaporean Grand Prix

A bitter blow!!!

It's the first ever Formula1 night race. The Formula1 Singtel Singaporean Grand Prix. What a night at work for Scuderia Ferrari. It look so perfect during the start of the weekend. The cars in really good setup with the drivers Kimi Raikonen and Felipe Massa did a great job in practice specially in qualifying where Felipe took P1 with Kimi taking the first of the 2nd row at P3. I was really confident about the race and I knew Kimi Raikonen would be able to challenge Lewis Hamilton on his Mclaren and take 2nd and maybe probably take the win if it all went well. Lap times in qualifying suggest that Felipe Massa may have been carrying out a lower amount of fuel as the usual case for Scuderia Ferrari where kimi really likes to carry more fuel so he can attack when Felipe Massa gets to the pits first.

Felipe Leads at the start of the race

At the start of the race it all went well when it reached about lap 10 where when Kimi Raikonen had his tires really up to the right operating temperature and really started to push really hard to take on Lewis. He was really hammering it down that he could even do about .4 upto .6 of a second a lap faster than Lewis Hamilton. As Kimi Raikonen was getting closer and closer to the gearbox of Lewis Hamilton's Mclaren at the other side of the track the 2nd ING Renault driver Nelson Piquet, Jr. lost the rear of his car, spun the car around, and then rear ended it on the wall on lap 15. Damaging his car really hard that's it's not possible to run it anymore. Because it was a dangerous place to be, the FIA safety car was released for the workers/stewards safety to clear the car and debris from the crash. As the cars are running a bit low on fuel teams called their cars as same with Scuderia Ferrari calling up both of their cars in the pit at the same time as a result Kimi Raikonen had to que up behind Felipe Massa. The Safety Car period was such a bad timing for Felipe Massa and the team. After calling in both the cars into the pits. It was the 2nd part of the bad things that had happened all weekend for the team. When the fuel rig man pulled the fueling rig it got stuck a bit and failed to pull it out completely . I don't know what happened but somehow the lollipop guy/lights man has triggered the go signal for Felipe. B'coz the hose was still on Felipe's car when he thundered on. The fueling rig was pulled cutting the rig (ripped it off the tank) and dragging mechanics and injured one as he was slammed on the tarmac and then it was still attached on Felipe's car as he cruised all the way down at the ends of the pits. He had to stop at the end before going out so the mechanics can run after him to pull it off. But before the mechanics can do that, because both Kimi and Felipe were called at the same time to pit Kimi had to que behind and waited for Felipe to clear the box where he can move and have his tires changed and have his car refueled. Which was the third part of Kimi's bitter blow. After the mechanics had serviced Kimi's car the team ran over to the end of the pit lane to get the refuel rig off Felipe's car. When Kimi came out he was way behind the podium positions already. That's because of the time spent on que at the pits.

Where it all started

Felipe Drags the Fueling rig and mecahnics

Helping the injured up

At the latter part of the race, Kimi Raikonen kept on pushing and pushing over taking a couple of cars until the final set of pits stops where he finally rejoined at 5th behind Timo Glock of the Panasonic Toyota F1 team.... Another safety car period came when Force India's Adrian Sutil also got a taste of the wall. Kimi new he had to take on as much points as he can to keep their lead in the Constructors championship. He kept on pushing and pushing and attacked Timo Glock for every single lap left. But then he lost the car where he ended up crashing on the wall where David Coulthard from Red Bull racing also ended up during the practice sessions. It was the end of Kimi's race at the Singaporean GP. He got off the car and ended his weekend. Felipe on the other hand did not made it to the top 8 as he rejoined 18th after his pit drama and did not score any point for himself and for the team.

I was so disappointed with the results of the First Singtel Singaporean Grand Prix. Also the 2008 season has been a very bad year for the world champion Kimi Raikonen. He had reliability issues at the 2nd part of the season. He could have won more Grand Prix and lead the Drivers Championship right now if it was'nt for the reliability issues playing Ferrari this season. From mechanical parts failures, Engines blowing up, tire management failure, etc... it is/was a bad season for Ferrari. With 3 races left I'm still confident Ferrari can still claim the Constructors Championship with Felipe really the closest person to challenge Lewis Hamilton for the drivers title. I still want Kimi to win the 2008 season but I think he would need a miracle for that to happen. It's not his fault why he is in his position now. He drove absolutely to the limit as what he normally does. But it was his car which let him down. I do believe Scuderia Ferrari will give him a better car next year. I do believe the new management of the team this year can and will be stronger next year.

Here is the final result of the Singtel Singaporean Grand Prix

more pictures to be posted ....