Former Formula 1 driver Damon Hill believes Scuderia Ferrari has a good opportunity of challenging Red Bull in the next round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Singapore Grand Prix, as a result of the bumpy nature of the 5.063-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Formula 1 has returned to Singapore for the first time in the last three years, with the Marina Bay track missing out on the 2020 and 2021 races due to restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The high-speed 23-corner circuit has a reputation for being the most demanding on the Formula 1 calendar and, coupled with humid weather conditions despite the race being held at night, Damon Hill points out that the weekend will represent a big challenge for teams and drivers.
“It’s a Monaco times two,” – the 1996 F1 world champion said, in a discussion for the F1 Nation podcast.
The most important consequence of the tough nature represented by the Singapore Grand Prix is that drivers can easily lose their focus, the former Williams driver explained: “It really is a big challenge for drivers, because they get stuck behind a car and they get frustrated. If they’ve got a faster car, it’s very difficult to pass. You’ve got the DRS [Drag Reduction System], but really there isn’t a straight long enough. You’ve got to take a brave lunge down the inside of a corner to get past people, and people get frustrated and they lose concentration. And when you’re very dehydrated, and hot and bothered, you get a little bit short-tempered as well.” – he added.
One of the most important aspects to be taken into consideration by the teams when working on the right setup for this weekend is the fact that the Marina Bay Circuit has a bumpy surface. Damon Hill thinks the Maranello team could take advantage of this track characteristic.
The Italian side secured a great one-two finish in the latest race which took place in Singapore three years ago, when Sebastian Vettel finished on top of the podium in front of his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc. The 2019 Marina Bay event was in fact Sebastian Vettel’s last Formula 1 race win.
“Talking about the kerbs, this is going to be a Ferrari track, because the Ferrari is the one car that seems to cope better than the Red Bull over kerbs,” Damon Hill continued.
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Taking into consideration the fact that 2022 Formula 1 cars have encountered problems with bouncing and porpoising in the first part of the championship, the 1996 F1 world champion points out that this factor could become even more difficult to manage this weekend than in the past.
“It’s much more physical now. These cars are more physical than they were two years ago. Because they can push the tyre a little bit harder perhaps than they used to, so there are going to be more demands on them now. I think they’re going to be in for a shock.” – Damon Hill concluded.
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