Motorsport journalist and podcaster
After Fernando Alonso started a record-breaking 350th Formula 1 race at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, we chat to his first team principal and former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart about how he reflects on his five-year run at the helm of one the sport’s backmarker teams (04:37), the race to get to the grid for his first race as team boss in Australia in 2001 (09:16), his earliest memories of working with Alonso that season (12:25), the famous 2002 Albert Park race where Mark Webber finished fifth on debut (15:31), his memorable TV interview during the controversial 2005 United States Grand Prix (23:04) and his pride at the growth of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne (27:22).
Max Verstappen will attempt to claim his second drivers championship on Honda’s home turf at the returning Japanese Grand Prix, but he’ll need to bounce back from an uncharacteristically scrappy Singapore Grand Prix to seal the deal.
Sergio Perez won the Singapore Grand Prix ahead of Charles Leclerc to delay Max Verstappen’s title coronation in an attritional wet-weather race that featured two safety cars, three virtual cautions and six retirements.
After waiting through an hour-long rain delay, Perez jumped poleman Leclerc off the line but had to absorb significant pressure for almost the entire race, which timed out after 59 of the 61 scheduled laps owing to the number of interruptions and the slow pace of the race in slippery conditions.
His mission was hampered by an engine drivability problem under braking and on power, but a lock-up by Leclerc broke the Monegasque’s charge and freed Perez to build some rhythm. In the final nine laps, he was able to grow his 1.5s advantage into 7.5s at the checkered flag.
Continue reading on RACERCharles Leclerc has taken his ninth pole position of the season after title leader Max Verstappen was forced to abort his final flying lap by the team
The qualifying hour started wet enough for intermediate tires after heavy rain earlier in the day, but ended will all 10 drivers in the pole shootout on slicks despite some standing water still on track, particularly in the final sector beneath the grandstands.
Rather than plan for two separate runs, most drivers were fueled for one long stint to build tire temperature, meaning provisional pole constantly changed hands as grip ramped up.
Continue reading on RACERCharles Leclerc topped the final practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix after heavy rain reduced running to less than 30 minutes.
The session officially started on time, but race control kept pit lane closed for the first 30 minutes given the circuit was waterlogged after two hours of torrential downpour.
The safety car lapped in the first 10 minutes of the suspension, after which marshals entered the track to sweep away some excess standing water.
Continue reading on RACER