The odyssey to the east for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix marks the beginning of this final leg of fly-away races in the 2016 champion. Join The Roar for a live blog of the race from 10pm (AEST).
Aptly titled the ‘Monaco of the East’, Singapore’s 5km street circuit is a blend of low-speed corners and unforgiving walls – as is the fabled streets on the Cote D’Azur.
What the Marina Bay offers, apart from its glittering ambience due to the fact it’s a night race, is that it is the toughest test of endurance the drivers face all season.
Despite the 61 laps of the race itself being contested after 8pm local time, temperatures remain high due to the tropical nature of the climate.
Attrition is another attribute that Singapore shares with Monaco. Often there are unlikely results that emerge, which are aided in fairness by the 100 per cent safety car record, since the first event in 2008.
In 2015, this event was the one and only Achilles Heel of the current championship leaders in Mercedes AMG. In a historic first during the hybrid-turbo era, no Mercedes-Benz powered cars finished on the podium – in a weekend of domination by Sebastian Vettel for Ferrari.
Unfortunately for the defending race winner, there is very slim chance for a victory. An anti-rollbar problem curtailed his qualifying and saw him eliminated in dead last position.
It’ll be Nico Rosberg who starts on pole position, for his 200th grand prix. Having two races on the bounce, the momentum certainly is with the German.
His teammate and championship rival qualified third, following a weekend of dramas. Uncomfortable with his W07 Hybrid and tyres, it remains to be seen whether Lewis Hamilton will retain that third place.
Two points is all that separate the two chief protagonists in this title hunt.
Splitting the two Silver Arrows was Daniel Ricciardo, whose Q3 lap was a monumental effort. He along with Max Verstappen in the sister Red Bull ought to keep the leaders honest, if they play their strategy cards correctly.
Forget not, the lone wolf for Ferrari in Kimi Räikkönen. Though strategic advances have not been their forte in 2016.
Toro Rosso also celebrate their 200th grand prix and stand as the fourth fastest team following qualifying. Can they hold off the likes of Force India, McLaren and Williams?
Who will triumph then in this endurance contest? Join me on The Roar from 10pm AEST for full live blog coverage of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
The cliche now amounts to a new context - Malaysia and Japan could amount to a definitive outcome for Rosberg. Victory at either would give his title bid absolute legitimacy heading into Americas and finale.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Six races now remain in 2016 and Nico Rosberg has won a trifecta of races on the bounce. The Roar shall return in a fortnight's time for coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix. Until then, it is good night and farewell!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Definitely one of (if not) the races of the season. Plenty of exciting battles all across the board and a fight for the lead until the final lap. Of course we shouldn't expect the same next time out, as Singapore's unique layout aided in the excitement. The championship has now swung back into Rosberg's favour, with an 8 point lead being afforded to the German.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
So it was Nico Rosberg who endured the grueling test that was the Singapore Grand Prix. Celebrating his 200th grand prix, by also retaking the lead of the championship, from his teammate Lewis Hamilton who could only best a third place finish. A monumental effort from Daniel Ricciardo who in the end was 0.4 seconds shy from his first race victory in two years. His final stint on the supersoft tyres was something to revere, however Rosberg's decision to remain out on the worn soft tyres ultimately eradicated a clear chance of the win for the Red Bull driver. Solid points for Ferrari despite the fact Kimi Räikkönen missed out on a podium opportunity. His own efforts in a way have been overshadowed by Sebastian Vettel's astonishing drive from the rear of the grid to finish fifth and 17.6 seconds behind his teammate. Despite only finishing ninth, it was a career-defining drive for Daniil Kvyat who displayed that he is able to hold his own and even get one up over the much more esteemed Max Verstappen - who at one point resulted to desperate moves to pass the Russian. Another 'driver of the day' candidate of the many who should be in the contention would be Kevin Magnussen. With speculation surrounding his future at Renault up in the air, scoring their second points of the 2016 will be remembered hopefully when the decision is made.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 273 - Nico Rosberg 265 - Lewis Hamilton 179 - Daniel Ricciardo 153 - Sebastian Vettel 148 - Kimi Räikkönen 129 - Max Verstappen 70 -- Valtteri Bottas 66 -- Sergio Perez 46 -- Nico Hulkenberg 41 -- Felipe Massa 36 -- Fernando Alonso 30 -- Carlos Sainz 28 -- Romain Grosjean 25 -- Daniil Kvyat 17 -- Jenson Button 7 --- Kevin Magnussen 1 --- Pascal Wehrlein 1 --- Stoffel Vandoorne 0 --- Esteban Gutierrez 0 --- Jolyon Palmer 0 --- Marcus Ericsson 0 --- Pascal Wehrlein 0 --- Felipe Nasr 0 --- Rio Haryanto 0 --- Esteban Ocon
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 538 - Mercedes AMG 316 - Red Bull Racing 301 - Scuderia Ferrari 112 - Force India Mercedes 111 - Williams Mercedes 54 -- McLaren Honda 47 -- Scuderia Toro Rosso 28 -- Haas Ferrari 7 --- Renault Sport 1 --- Manor Mercedes 0 --- Sauber Ferrari
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
PODIUM INTERVIEWS - Hosted by Martin Brundle: ROSBERG - "It was an awesome weekend for me in Singapore." "It was a cool ending." RICCIARDO - "We tried something with the strategy and we were close." "We thought Nico was going to come." HAMILTON - "Very tough day today and this weekend has been a tricky one for me." "I was struggling with the brakes overheating."
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
The results from the 61 laps of the Singapore Grand Prix 1 N. Rosberg 2 D. Ricciardo 3 L. Hamilton 4 K. Räikkönen 5 S. Vettel 6 M. Verstappen 7 F. Alonso 8 S. Perez 9 D. Kvyat 10 K. Magnussen 11 E. Gutierrez 12 F. Massa 13 F. Nasr 14 C. Sainz 15 J. Palmer 16 P. Wehrlein 17 M. Ericsson 18 E. Ocon RET J. Button RET V. Bottas RET N. Hulkenberg RET R. Grosjean
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
He holds on and NICO ROSBERG wins the SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX. Holding off the pressure from Red Bull behind. A solid drive from DANIEL RICCIARDO sees him miss out on the victory by 0.4 seconds, but a rewarding second. And despite the torrid weekend, LEWIS HAMILTON limitates the damage for third.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 61/61: This is almost a repeat of the Sandown 500 this afternoon where Shane van Gisbergen was as close as Daniel Ricciardo is to Garth Tander and in this case Nico Rosberg.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 61/61: FINAL LAP
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 60/61: Third looks all but sealed for Hamilton, as Räikkönen maintains a 1.6 second deficit with no serious gains. 2.1 seconds between Rosberg and Ricciardo at the end of this lap.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 59/61: 3.5 seconds now at the end of this lap between the leading pair.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 59/61: THREE LAPS TO GO 4.5 seconds now between Rosberg and Ricciardo.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 58/61: Gutierrez in P11 still having the blue flag waved at him, as Ricciardo finally negotiates the Haas car. The Red Bull now within 5 seconds of the race leader.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 57/61: FIVE LAPS TO GO 5.2 seconds between Rosberg and Ricciardo. 1.5 seconds between Hamilton and Räikkönen.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
Will he Hunt him down as his protegee?
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 56/61: Kimi's sectors beginning to turn green again relative to Hamilton. Whether this is just temporary or whether he'll hunt him down in these closing stages of the race, remains to be seen.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 55/61: Rosberg to negotiate lapped traffic now as Ricciardo is now within 7.8 seconds of the leader. Still plenty of time for Dan in the bag to hone in on the Mercedes AMG. Certainly with the pace he has at present.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
This is quite the finish!!