Singapore Grand Prix: Winners and Losers

21 September 2015 – Sebastian Vettel stormed to his third win of 2015 ahead of team-mates past and present Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Räikkönen in Singapore. GPUpdate.net presents its winners and losers from Marina Bay.

Winners

For the first time since Fernando Alonso swept to victory in Spain two years ago, Ferrari was the de facto fastest team at a Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel put in a supreme performance reminiscent of his Red Bull days as he possessed the confidence to throw the SF15-T around the streets of Marina Bay. He set up his third 2015 victory with a stunning pole lap and stormed away from Daniel Ricciardo, before playing a game of cat and mouse in the second stint as he preserved his tyres. He pulled the pin on Lap 27 to blitz his rivals and subsequently maintained a comfortable lead over Ricciardo for his fourth win in five years at a track which perfectly suits his driving style (slow/medium speed, narrow radius corners). Team-mate Kimi Räikkönen struggled throughout the weekend and lacked confidence, but Ferrari's pace allowed him to pocket third.

The energetic, jovial Ricciardo was the only driver who could live with Vettel's pace and ensured that his former team-mate wasn't able to relax too much. Ricciardo was marginally adrift of Daniil Kvyat on Friday – though that was as much down to traffic than pure pace – but on Saturday he posted an eye-catching lap, particularly through the final sector, having believed his lap was gone. Ricciardo smiled when he saw Vettel fly away at the start as he predicted that tyres would be a pressing issue, but the four-time champion knew what he was doing. Ricciardo tried to go with Vettel when the German upped his pace but the gap stretched; but even when within a second Ricciardo was never close enough to try a move. Nonetheless, this was an assured performance from the Australian, who utilised his vastly different driving style to Vettel with similarly supreme effect.

Max Verstappen is still a week away from his 18th birthday but he delivered a resolute performance in Singapore, emphatically refusing to allow Toro Rosso team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. to have a go at Sergio Pérez. Toro Rosso later conceded that their call had been incorrect, while Verstappen revealed his father had threatened to "kick him in the nuts" if he allowed the elder rookie to pass. Verstappen lost a lap after stalling from eighth but was permitted to join the back of the pack through the two Safety Car periods, scything past midfield rivals, the highlight being an opportunistic move on Romain Grosjean into Turn 18.  Verstappen's eighth place was the epitome of the 'never give up' mantra while his steadfastness revealed his steely nature despite his youth.

Losers

Few doubted that Mercedes would once again display its prestigious pace beneath the lights in Singapore but following Friday practice the reigning champions were at sea, and the ship wasn't steadied by the time qualifying rolled around, leaving Lewis Hamilton fifth and Nico Rosberg sixth. Hamilton was in contention for victory (albeit, a slim chance) during the second stint before a power loss forced him out for the first time in over a year, while Rosberg drifted away from the top three and took fourth. Hamilton suggested that Mercedes' problem was with its tyre usage, leaving conspiracy theorists to discuss pressures, an idea soon rubbished by Toto Wolff. Whatever went wrong, Mercedes will be desperately hoping it is track specific and that Suzuka sees a return to winning ways. There will be some nervous thoughts among senior Mercedes figures this week.

McLaren-Honda sacrificed its weekends in Belgium and Italy in the anticipation that Singapore would suit its package, due to the absence of the long straights which hurt the Japanese firm's power unit. Like Vettel, Fernando Alonso is rapid around the streets of the city-state and flew in practice, before being hindered in qualifying by yellow flags, dropping out in Q2. Alonso was on course for points until gearbox gremlins struck while Jenson Button also could have made it into the top 10, though he had a disastrous race. A slow pit-stop cost him buckets of time, a clash with Pastor Maldonado left him with front wing damage and then his gearbox overheated in the same manner as Alonso's. Button didn't have the pace of Alonso but it was still a crushingly disappointing result for McLaren, with upcoming circuits all featuring long straights which will hurt Honda.

Whereas Sergio Pérez continues to fly with the upgraded Force India – 24 points in three races and now up to ninth in the standings – Nico Hülkenberg's woeful run grows longer. Hülkenberg had the edge over Pérez for much of the weekend but when Felipe Massa exited the pit lane the pair were set on a collision course, sending Hülkenberg into the barriers and out of the race. Many felt that the contact was a racing incident but stewards quickly penalised Hülkenberg – as if ending the race in the barrier wasn't penalty enough – with a three-place drop for the Japanese Grand Prix. Hülkenberg should have scored points, but while Massa also played his part, the German could have been a little more circumspect.

Honourable mention
Alexander Rossi only received confirmation of his Formula 1 debut on Monday yet flew out to Singapore and acquitted himself well, aside from an early prang in practice. He trailed Will Stevens in qualifying but out-raced his team-mate despite a loss of radio. The American can be satisfied with his long overdue first race.

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