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F1 returns for the Singapore GP after a three-year gap and it's interesting to see how things have changed. What does, however, exemplify this change is if we look back at the last time we had a Grand Prix in The Garden City.
The F1 ecosystem has been turned on its head since Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc delighted the Tifosi with that famous 1-2 for Ferrari. While some of the changes are arguably more drastic than others, certain adaptions are perhaps too subtle for F1 fans to notice. So, what are these changes you may ask? Well, let's take a look!
2019 vs 2022 F1 Singapore GP: How the world has changed
#1 Lewis Hamilton replaced by Max Verstappen at the top
The biggest difference has to be the man with the crown. During the 2019 F1 Singapore GP, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton did not win the race. Regardless, he was still walking to another comfortable title win. Hamilton had an aura of invincibility at the time. The Brit was simply in a different league and even his teammate Valtteri Bottas wasn't much competition in the machinery of the Silver Arrows.
Fast forward three seasons and we have the flying Dutchman Max Verstappen doing pretty much the same thing. There was resistance early in the season from Ferrari, but since the Prancing Horse lost its consistency, it's been smooth sailing for the Austrian outfit. Verstappen has effectively taken over the role enjoyed by Hamilton three years ago.
#2 Sebastian Vettel was winning races
Sebastian Vettel won the 2019 F1 Singapore GP for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc was P2. Vettel's career was arguably on the decline as the German was starting to feel uncomfortable at Ferrari. Despite that, he was still pulling off wins like the one he had in Singapore. The Italian outfit ran an impressive power unit back then, having been highly competitive on the straight line.
Fast forward three years and the 2022 F1 Singapore GP is the last time that Sebastian Vettel will race at the track where he is the most successful driver ever.
#3 Mercedes was dominant
The 2019 F1 Singapore GP saw a Ferrari 1-2 finish, but don't let that fool you one bit. Mercedes were in fact in a tier of their own in 2019. Valtteri Bottas was a comfortable P2 and Hamilton was hardly challenged in the championship.
Now in 2022, the German outfit hasn't won a single race this season. Oh, how the tables turn.
#4 The racing was different
The first 20 laps of the F1 Singapore GP in 2019 were spent conserving tires. The drivers knew that the chasing cars behind them could not follow too closely, enabling them to control the pace of the race.
This season, the race will likely be different. Cars can run closer to each other, making it risky to try and control the speed of the pack. Since 2019, a completely different set of regulations have been introduced, which should make for more compelling racing.
#5 Fernando Alonso was an endurance racer
The 40-plus-year-old F1 legend was not even on the F1 grid in 2019. Fernando Alonso left the sport after getting tired of running at the back of the pack. Alonso, in 2022, is back on the grid and has a multi-year contract in the bag.
#6 Daniel Ricciardo was just amazing
If there are fans who think Daniel Ricciardo was 'overrated' back then, they need to go back and watch the 2019 F1 Singapore GP highlights.
The yellow and black of Daniel Ricciardo's Renault was a spectacle worth witnessing.
Starting the race from the back, Ricciardo fought like a lion on raceday and had some excellent overtakes throughout the Grand Prix. His collision and puncture during the race did hinder him from a better result though, but the race really showed what kind of talent the Australian was.
#7 We had Michael Masi in race control
The 2019 F1 Singapore GP would also bring to notice a familiar face - that face being former race director Michael Masi. Many fans forgot that Masi was the understudy of the late Charlie Whiting.
He took over the role after Whiting's untimely death and the transition was seamless at the time. If only F1 hadn't made team communications to the race director public in 2021, Masi's career could have had a different trajectory, referencing the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.
