Carlos Sainz is well aware that Singapore is a very different proposition to Monza, where he secured his first podium finish of the season a fortnight ago. “Here there is more stress on the tyres, which is a tricky topic for us and it’s also a high downforce track, so I expect a very close race, where the smallest detail can make the difference,” said the Spaniard, when talking to the media in the Singapore paddock. “Some teams that were behind us in Monza will be on our level here, so it will be vital to do everything right to make the most of our potential.”
Extreme conditions. Sainz then went on to explain the difficult aspects of this race. “I like the Singapore track a lot, but this Grand Prix has plenty of pitfalls. First and foremost, it’s a very long race, in suffocatingly hot conditions and you have to concentrate from the first to last lap, because the walls are always there to catch you out. I won’t deny it can sometimes be good to have a Safety Car here, because it gives you a chance to catch your breath and relax for a moment. If the race is red flagged, then you can cool down and drink something that doesn’t feel like hot tea which is what the drink we have on board tastes like after just five or six laps. It’s pretty disgusting, but you need to keep hydrated, so you drink it anyway.”