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The FIA’s resolution to postpone the beginning of the Singapore Grand Prix and its delayed name to activate DRS within the rain-hit race had been supported by paddock figures.
Torrential rain fell on downtown Singapore, the place the Marina Bay road circuit is positioned, within the hours previous the scheduled race begin. In consequence FIA Formulation 1 race director Eduardo Freitas selected to delay the beginning of the grand prix by 65 minutes as they waited for the climate to enhance.
McLaren crew principal Andreas Seidl mentioned this was “completely the best factor to do” underneath the circumstances. It enabled F1 to make use of track-cleaning methods to take away a number of the standing water on the not too long ago resurfaced road circuit earlier than the race obtained underway.
“That clearly helped to do away with any standing water which then allowed [us] straightaway to go on intermediate [tyres].” he mentioned.
“I believe with out that, we wouldn’t have been ready to begin the race in a fairly secure method as a result of what’s the purpose beginning a race with these automobiles after which simply seeing automobiles crashing or aquaplaning? I assume nobody needs to see that, we don’t need to see that. That’s why, I assume, each single resolution that has been made at present was the best one.”
As soon as the observe had dried sufficient for drivers to modify to slick tyres, race management thought of when to permit them to make use of DRS. The FIA initially decided it was too damp in locations alongside the again straight – the primary DRS zone of the lap – although some drivers known as for it to be enabled sooner than it was.
On that matter, Seidl additionally backed the race director. “Once more, for me, security all the time has to return first and I’ve no difficulty with the way it was dealt with at present.
“What’s the purpose of seeing automobiles crashing into the obstacles? Now we have the very best drivers in these automobiles and so they know how one can use it responsibly however I assume in these difficult situations, there are particular components right here on observe which have been resurfaced and are nonetheless fairly slippery. [They were] clear selections.”
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas mentioned that the permission to make use of DRS “may have been [given] a bit earlier” however added “the factor is on the again straight, there’s this right-hander kink and there’s a little bit of a humid patch.”
Bottas had a near-miss with George Russell at this level on the observe in the course of the race. The pair made contact because the Mercedes driver tried to overhaul him however went over a humid patch and missed the following nook.
Xevi Pujolar, the pinnacle of trackside engineering at Alfa Romeo, was additionally “glad” with the choice to delay the beginning of the race. “We simply must guarantee that there was sufficient remaining race distance [to run], and [if] the observe situation was appropriate or not,” he mentioned. “As a result of we thought it was okay.”
On the DRS resolution, Pujolar mentioned he was glad to “go away it to the FIA.”
“We simply activate the DRS once they assume that by way of stage of security, it’s ok. In order that one, we respect their resolution.”
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2022 Singapore Grand Prix
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