The world to a man thought this weekends race was an epic success... except one it seems...
Ferrari furious over Singapore GP
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7644042.stm
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has launched a scathing attack on Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.
Renault's Fernando Alonso took victory at the Marina Bay circuit but Ferrari drivers Filipe Massa slipped from pole to 13th and Kimi Raikkonen crashed out.
"
When we race on tracks which should be used for the circus, anything can happen," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"This is humiliating for F1 and it is an aspect I want to talk about with the other teams in the next few weeks."
F1's first night race drew rave reviews from spectators but drivers complained about how bumpy the track was, particularly off the racing line, which made overtaking difficult on a street circuit hemmed in by barriers.
There were two safety car interventions, the first of which turned the race upside down and contributed to Spaniard Alonso's unexpected victory for Renault.
Alonso pitted before the safety car emerged a third of the way into the Grand Prix, which enabled him to tack onto the back of the field under safety car conditions and then go to the front when other drivers pitted when the pit lane was reopened.
Montezemolo, appointed this month as the first chairman of the F1 Teams Association, said before the race that street circuits, with their lack of overtaking opportunities, were not the way forward for the sport.
McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh expects the events in Singapore to prompt a change in the rules relating to when drivers can pit under safety car conditions.
"It will happen I am sure by the start of next year," Whitmarsh told Autosport magazine.
"For people to change now they have to accept they got it hopelessly wrong, and it has to change during the winter."
Ferrari's failure to score any points in Singapore meant McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who finished third behind Alonso, extended his championship lead over Massa to seven points with three races left.
"It was a bitter day, but there are three races left and I have faith in all of Ferrari's men," said Montezemolo. "We saw that last year in the final race in Brazil.
"Ferrari went through times much more difficult than this. I expect Massa and Raikkonen to always finish first and second in the three remaining races. In any case, ahead of McLaren.
The team president also backed the mechanics who gave Massa the green light during a pit stop despite the fuel hose still being attached to the car as he sped away.
"We have extraordinary mechanics who in other occasions have swung results our way," said Montezemolo.
"We must stay close to each other because Ferrari are always world champions and are still in the running to win."
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Seems his problem is more with street circuits than the timing of the race, though who knows. His word is not one to be listening too if he's defending the pit lane mechanics that have serially let Ferrari down this season
Incidently I saw my old mate from school on the TV sunday, turns out he's a mechanic for Renault, considered by many to be the best in the business. It's not a job I envy him, long hours, stressful work... but it must be a buzz travelling the world competing in sport, especially with F1
