Formula 1 has made the biggest leap in performance of the year so far at Singapore, where the quickest lap time of the weekend is more than three seconds faster than last year.
But some teams have found even more lap time than that. Sauber are leading the way, having lapped the track more than six seconds quicker than they did in 2017.
The track has changed slightly compared to last year as turns 16 and 17 have been realigned. But this minor alteration has trimmed just two metres off the five kilometre lap.
Arguably the most significant improvement of the weekend has come at Mercedes. Last year the silver cars were six-tenths of a second off pole position, but in 2018 they are over four seconds quicker, Hamilton setting pole with a 1’36.015.
Was a 1’35 possible? Mercedes could have been beaten to pole by either of their closest rivals.
Max Verstappen was on target to improve his lap time until an engine glitch spoiled his final run. And Sebastian Vettel also felt he had a car capable of taking pole position.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Don't miss anything new from RaceFans
Follow RaceFans on social media:
2018 Singapore Grand Prix
- How Singapore showed F1’s problem with processions again
- 2018 Singapore Grand Prix Star Performers
- Top ten pictures from the 2018 Singapore Grand Prix
- Hamilton closes on title as Mercedes deny Ferrari in Singapore
- Vote for your 2018 Singapore Grand Prix Driver of the Weekend
Jere (@jerejj)
15th September 2018, 19:08
I expected nowhere near as much improvement on last season in ultimate lap time as nearly 3.5 seconds especially not more than at Circuit de Catalunya due to that circuit having been resurfaced before this season’s race weekend. The best effort twelve months ago would’ve only been enough for P15 this time around. Furthermore, it isn’t really worth to point out the slight realignment of turns 16, and 17 as two meters don’t make any difference whatsoever to the average lap speed, and thus, to the overall lap time nor even to the cornering speeds of the relevant corners (T16 and T17) in this case.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
15th September 2018, 22:34
I’ve not had chance to watch any coverage this weekend, but does the realignment of T16/17 make the corners any faster? Ie: the shorter distance may be negligible, but if the corner radius has relaxed, they may be able to gain some time.
Surely a fair amount of time will also be down to Hyper Soft tyres?
Tango (@tango)
15th September 2018, 23:00
At least 2 seconds of it could be attributed to tyres… So that’s a kick in the nuts for McLaren. Better engine, same car.
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
15th September 2018, 20:06
Why was Baku negative?
Change of layout or surface – or weather?
Jere (@jerejj)
15th September 2018, 21:10
@nickwyatt Neither layout nor surface but weather probably.
bosyber (@bosyber)
15th September 2018, 22:10
Or extra drag on the long straight not being compensated by the higher cornering speeds
Bleu (@bleu)
15th September 2018, 22:11
It’s also worth of note that Baku was two months earlier this year than last – so the evolution was smaller. We will see exact opposite of that in two weeks as gap between two races in Sochi is 17 months.
Gabriel (@rethla)
15th September 2018, 21:09
Its not the distance thats important when you change corners…
Racefan
15th September 2018, 22:38
LEC is not very talented in my opinion. It is the new Ferrari engine in the Sauber that is fantastic.
Ben (@scuderia29)
16th September 2018, 0:21
You only have to compare him to his team mate and look at his junior career to see that you’re very wrong, you might as well say Hamilton nor vettel are talented either and that they just have powerful engines, crazy.
Racefan
16th September 2018, 0:49
His teammate is terrible and should not be in F1. Arrivabene is an idiot for putting unKnown LEC in the Ferrari. Perez/Ocon would have been a better fit.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
16th September 2018, 0:30
Does everyone notice how renault, starting from further back in 2017, improved LESS than ferrari, mercedes and red bull have? How exactly do they expect to catch them if they can’t even keep up with their development when they are 1,5 sec back?
RicoD (@ricod)
16th September 2018, 9:26
I was also looking a the back end of the table @esploratore . It is an indication of who has the worst chassis. Of course we know that from McLaren and Williams, but Renault and Toro Rosso are pretty bad as well then. Especially Toro Rosso with their “much improved” Honda engine. If that is so, their chassis must be really poor…
Aquataz
16th September 2018, 12:03
Highlights the RPFI achievements….. The little team that could and can.