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Hamilton failed to finish in Spa last month after an unnecessary collision with Rosberg but gained a modicum of revenge in Italy when the German relinquished first place to his team mate after cracking under pressure midway through the race.
Rosberg finished second in both races and was booed on the podium on each occasion for benefiting from his over-aggressive approach in Belgium but Mercedes will be hoping the pair can rein in their fighting instincts to avoid further mishaps.
Since Monza, however, Formula One have banned radio race assistance, including coded messages, so it will be interesting to see how the team can control their drivers on an unforgiving 23-turn layout in the heat and humidity of Singapore.
Mercedes, who have won all but three of the 13 races this season, are expected to dominate once again with Hamilton installed as a marginal favourite due to his better record on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where he won in 2009.
“Despite the highs and lows, I’m still well and truly in the hunt for the championship and that is something that gives me huge motivation for the final six races - starting in Singapore,” Hamilton said in a team release.
“It’s a great place to begin the final flyaway phase of the season. The city is buzzing and the track is mega. It’s a street circuit and I love street circuits.” The Briton was unfortunate not to win the inaugural race in 2008 and a mechanical failure when clear at the front denied him victory two years ago, while Rosberg can take heart from one of his earliest successes in Formula One at the venue.
“I got my second ever podium here with P2 in 2008 and I generally enjoy street circuits, so I’m looking to go one better this time around,” the German said. World champion Sebastian Vettel has endured a miserable winless campaign but arrives in Singapore seeking a fourth straight victory in the race in an improving Red Bull that is expected to present the sternest opposition to Mercedes.
The German, however, has been forced to play second fiddle to team mate Daniel Ricciardo all season with the Australian winning three races, leading to whispers in the paddock that Vettel’s future could lie away from Red Bull, with Ferrari a possible destination.
While Red Bull have moved quickly to quash any exit rumours, team principal Christian Horner was also keen to play down expectations of a return to the top of the tree for the reigning champions in Southeast Asia. “At Singapore, there are a few more corners and a few less straights (than at Monza),” Horner said after his cars came fifth and sixth in Italy.
“We’re looking forward to going back there.
“It’s a track that we’ve always gone well at in the last few years. But there’s no guarantees in this business, and we expect the Mercedes to be incredibly quick.”
The Mercedes-powered Williams has been somewhat of a revelation this season with Valtteri Bottas claiming four podiums in the last six races while his team mate Felipe Massa enjoyed a third-place finish in Monza.
Another strong result is expected in Singapore but Bottas believes the car will find it difficult to compete for another podium finish with its aerodynamic efficiency less effective on the demanding and tight Singapore roads.
“Singapore, maybe Brazil, they could be difficult ones,” the Finn said. “But we reckon there are some good ones to come.
“We are still aiming to bring some updates later in the season, so Suzuka, Austin and Abu Dhabi, for example, I think we can fight for the podium definitely. We’ll keep pushing.”
Williams can catch Red Bull, says MassaSINGAPORE (Reuters): Brazilian Felipe Massa feels he has turned a corner after his first podium of the season in Italy last time out and is cautiously confident his Williams team can catch Red Bull in the constructors’ championship. Massa, who joined Williams at the start of the season after eight years with Ferrari, finished an emotional third at Monza at the home race for his former team which helped his new side move above his old colleagues in the constructors’ race. Williams are third in the standings on 177 points, 15 ahead of Ferrari and 95 behind Red Bull, with six rounds remaining starting with Sunday’s Singapore race under the lights at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Mercedes are well out in front but Massa was optimistic of adding to his own personal 55 point haul and, with the help of in-form team mate Valtteri Bottas, continue to rack up the points for the resurgent Williams team who only managed five last season. “We’re planning to close the gap in every race...to catch even Red Bull which is a bit far, but you’ll never know,” the Brazilian told Reuters on Wednesday. “Everything can change pretty quickly in Formula One in two or three races. The situation is different. Maybe we have the opportunity to fight for the second place. “I think the work and the job we are doing this year is going very well. So there’s still a lot to improve in the second part of the season and also next year.” The twisting, demanding and lengthy street circuit in hot, humid and this week hazy Singapore will be one of the tougher races for Massa and Williams, though. The team will have some upgrades on the car for this weekend but Massa acknowledged Monza was a high-speed track that suited them better. umer goods increased due to an increase in both food and non-food consumer good categories. A substantial increase in imports of sugar and confectionery, cereals and milling industry and dairy products led the increase in import expenditure on food and beverages, while non-food consumer goods imports increased mainly due to the significant increase in clothing and accessories and vehicle imports. Expenditure on imports of investment goods grew in July 2014 supported by imports of machinery and equipment and building materials. |
