Vettel out to close gap

Ferrari favoured to win under lights in Singapore GP

IT’S now or never for Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari team on Sunday at the Singapore Grand Prix in the Formula One title fight with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

Ferrari are considered big favourites over Mercedes on the 5.065km Marina Bay street course where the drivers will race under floodlights.

Vettel has fond memories of Singapore as he is a record four-time winner there, with last year’s victor Hamilton on three top spots.

But he must deliver after the home race meltdown in Monza where Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen locked out the front row on the grid, but Hamilton then won after first-lap contact with Vettel, who had to fight from behind and settle for fourth.

Despite Raikkonen’s runner-up finish the outcome was a massive disappointment for Ferrari, while at the same time it boosted Mercedes’ morale.

Hamilton is now on 256 points — 30 points clear of Vettel, which is more than the 25 points for a race win. But the German is far from throwing in the towel.

“There are many points to win back now in the championship, but we still have time to improve and we have the margin to recover,” he said.

“I know what has to be done. I am concentrating on Singapore. I like the place.”

Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff is cautiously optimistic that his team of Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas can get the better of the Ferraris.

“On paper, the track should favour the Ferraris, but the championship fight is so close that predictions are almost meaningless,” he said.

“Last year, we started the race from the third row — and came home with a win and a third place.”

To spice things up, Red Bull with Max Verstappen and Australian Daniel Ricciardo also like their chances on the twisting, bumpy Singapore course.

“I’ve had four podiums and three second places in a row there, so it’s about time I win the damn thing,” said Ricciardo, who is currently ranked sixth on 118 points.