Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: Arriving in Singapore off the back of two strong weekends is very encouraging for the team and drivers. Whilst we are very motivated to continue the good form, we are aware that the layout and nature of the Marina Bay circuit doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the strengths of FW45. However, the circuit is a little different this year, with fewer corners and another long straight. These changes are quite significant in terms of brake and tyre demands and are a little more suited to FW45 than the previous slower layout.
Tyre compounds for this event are from the soft end of the Pirelli range and are the same as we used in Monza. The layouts of those two circuits are quite different but these compounds should be well suited to Singapore. In the hot and humid conditions, the rear tyres will still require a high level of management, but this should be achievable and aided by the new layout.
The back-to-back races in Singapore and Suzuka offer a good chance to exercise the FW45 in very different circumstances and provides us with an opportunity to evolve the set-up and test some directions that could be useful to FW46. At the same time, we will not be losing sight of the battle for 7th place in the Championship and we will be looking to increase our points total at both events.
Alex Albon: It’s an exciting race weekend as it’s kind of a home race for me and a special one for the team; we showcase our winning fan voted Gulf livery for the first race here in Singapore which is going to look amazing under the lights. We return to a street track which is very bumpy and quite uncompromising, with the heat making it one of the most difficult and demanding events of the year. There’s been a lot of prep work going into this week, working our best to acclimatise before the weekend starts. Whilst this isn’t a track that would ordinarily suit our car, it will be interesting to see how it does over the weekend, with the weather also likely to make things more challenging.
Logan Sargeant: I’m really excited to be driving under the lights at Marina Bay for the first time. It’s a track I’ve wanted to race at since I was a kid. It will be a physical race but I’m ready for the challenge. Singapore will also be a special occasion for the team as we race with the fan voted Gulf livery for the first of three races, so we’re hoping to make it a good one.
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