F1: Ferrari’s Imploding Title Challenge & Lewis Hamilton’s Surge since the Austrian GP

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee – Lewis Hamilton said on the radio as a tribute to Muhammad Ali, after he won the Canadian Grand Prix two years ago. Lewis Hamilton and team Mercedes has stung Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari in the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, just as they did at Monza two weeks ago.

Vettel's Costly FP2 Error

The road to Lewis’ Singapore victory was laid on the previous night when he put a stunning lap to upset the Ferrari. As Vettel said, Ferrari had in it to do a better lap (than that), but they couldn’t. One of the reasons could be, they had limited running under the lights on Friday in FP2 following Vettel’s contact with the wall on the exit of turn 21, which compromised his quali simulations under the conditions reminiscent to Saturday night. Instead, his car was set up during FP3 in daylight.

Vettel's right rear brushing the barriers during FP2

After the sunset on Saturday, when artificial lights took over, the track temperature began plummeting, and by Q3, the two Ferraris were not finding the pace, as they did during FP3 or during Q1 and Q2. This, in combination with an out-lap compromised by traffic, would relegate Vettel to P3.

Although everyone talks about an astonishing lap by Lewis Hamilton, there was every reason to believe that Max Verstappen would have upstaged him, if not for a software-induced stuttering and not to forget the power deficit of the Renault engine at the back of his car. Vettel’s out-lap was behind Bottas, driving a car which needed a gentle preparatory lap with hypersoft bolted when compared to a Ferrari that needed an all-out out-lap.

Thanksgiving moment, after a surprise pole

At Singapore, where track position and tire management come on top, anyone starting on the front row has it in his control, as Lewis did. Ferrari did their best to upset Mercedes with an aggressive strategy, and the Maranello-based team came third. Mercedes stuck to their guns. Result – they lead both championships comfortably. Lewis can even afford a DNF, and still, he would lead the championship.

Decisive moment: Verstappen Edges Ahead after his pitstop

What would worry Ferrari and the legions of its fans is that Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton are consistently winning, and even on tracks dubbed bogey tracks for them. There is an air of surety around their operations.

On Sunday night, Ferrari tried their best – Vettel made a decisive move on Verstappen to take second place, the pit wall opted for an aggressive strategy by attempting a very early undercut – only way it could have won. But Vettel’s out lap was compromised by a Mercedes-powered Force India of Sergio Perez, which eventually cost him second place as well. Lewis’ in lap was good, and out-lap was better on softs, and thereafter it’s a race of attrition, with squabbles between Sergey Sirotkin and Perez and Sirotkin and Romain Grosjean providing the evening entertainment.

Lewis Hamilton’s Surge

Coming back to Lewis Hamilton’s title challenge, ever since Austrian Grand Prix, he seemed to have gone a level or two up.

Lewis Hamilton masterclass in the wet at Hungary

At Silverstone, after his first lap collision with Kimi Raikkonen, he drove from the back of the field to finish second.

At Hockenheimring, he was out in Q1 on Saturday, but won a rain-drenched race, after an inspiring drive closing in on the front-runners as the rain fell down, which could have forced Vettel to make an error. This victory alone resulted in a huge 38 points swing, in favor of him.

At Hungaroring, Ferrari looked strong, as expected. But the rain came during Q2 & Q3 runs, and the Ferraris could not find the pace in rain, and Mercedes mopped up the front row, and Hamilton drove a pole to chequered flag run.

At Belgian GP, he was outpaced by Ferrari, but hung on to take P2. At Monza, the squabble between two Ferraris before turn 1 and good teamwork resulted in Mercedes stealing a famous race victory. Now Singapore.

Vettel's DNF at German Grand Prix

In six races between Silverstone and Singapore, he has won four and twice he had come home second, as against Vettel’s one DNF, two victories, and second, third, and fourth positions a piece.

We have another six races to go, and if Vettel has to win the championship from here on, the simple equation is that he has to win all six races so that his fortune is not dependent on things which are not under his control.

Here's hoping the championship goes all the way up to chequered flag on November 25 night!