Goin' Down to Papaya Town
Every year I look forward to the fireworks, the neon lights, and the sweeping camera shots of the Marina Bay Sands hotel with its massive rooftop pool. I dream about F1 cars roaring around at night throwing massive sparks as their downforce sucks the skid plate down to the concrete. There’s nothing cooler than Formula One racing in the dark … theoretically.
But, Singapore is Hotbox Monaco. It’s 1000 degrees F in the cockpit, and because it’s almost impossible to pass on the narrow street circuit, how you qualify on Saturday is how you’re likely to finish on Sunday.
There just aren’t a lot of overtakes. The one thing that has always saved the race has been a 100% likelihood of a safety car. In the last five years or so you could count on Nicholas “my dad bought my seat at Williams” Latifi or Logan “Baby Latifi” Sargeant to black out and crash in the most impassable part of the track, thus triggering massive strategy adjustments and pit stops to shake up the race.
Before that you could count on a team boss like Flavio Briatore asking his number two driver to crash on purpose so that your #1 driver Fernando Alonso could win the race.
But these days Alonso is content to drive cautiously in the mid-pack until his fairy godfather Adrian Newey designs a 2025 Aston Martin that could give him a third championship.
All that is gone now and for the first time ever, there was no safety car in the Singapore grand prix. In fact safety cars in general which used to be as common as Taylor Swift sightings at KC Chiefs games now, are way down in 2024.
It’s hard to say why, though the cost cap which limits a team’s budget and thus it’s ability to keep rebuilding cars is probably one of the biggest reasons. Drivers are less apt to live on the limit if it will cost their team or their seat (bye bye Logie bear).
Teams are also no longer content with mediocrity now dropping drivers mid-season with increasing regularity. This is no more evident in the case of Daniel Ricciardo who it is rumored will be replaced by Liam Lawson in the VCARB RB for the Austin race for the rest of the season.
Ironically, Lawson got his chance when Danny Ric broke his hand last year and put on a spectacle that was undeniable. Legendary Aussie down, next Kiwi up.
But before we move on, let’s give the eight time and Monaco GP winner his due credit, if he is out of the show. I will miss Ricciardo’s giant Julia Roberts-smile and his random drops of the word “enchanté” to racing media on TV.
Enchanting and delightful, the old honey badger is both of those things, one of the most beloved to strap on a Bell crash helmet. I will miss him drinking champagne out of his sweat soaked Puma driver’s boots, aka the “Shoey” especially when it’s with Sir Patrick Stewart.
Daniel’s favorite race was always Austin. An avid music lover, he was known to show up for a plate of BBQ or at a live show in Texas the week before the GP just like any random bloke. He started dressing up in cowboy wear and riding horses through the paddock. That’s why it seems especially cruel that Red Bull didn’t give him the next race in the Lone Star state as a goodbye. The transition is logical though. The mini-break that’s upon us right now will give Lawson time to get up to speed. Let’s just be grateful that the last time we may have seen Ricciardo on track was him scooping up fastest lap in Singapore.
F1 social media has suggested that Checo is still at risk for next year at Red Bull after his terrible qualifying and 10th place in Singapore where his teammate finished second.
The F1 rumor mill also stated that Lawson could get a shot at Red Bull next year which would pave the way for Danny to get one more shot on his current team. F1 social media is generally as reliable as the National Enquirer though so I doubt this will happen.
It would also be a disservice to Yuki Tsunoda who gets better every year and really deserves that spot alongside Max. I’d rather see Danny focus on his winemaking (bought some last year and it was good) and surfing while Yuki takes it to Max in the same car. Both dudes are alphas and that would be epic.
Speaking of destruction, we got six races left to go and 51 points separating Lando and Max. Lando finally won from pole and destroyed the field by 30 seconds prompting Verstappen in the cool down room after Singapore to say “I thought you were gonna lap me”. Still, if Norris wins every race and gets every fastest lap, he’s still 1 point from tying Verstappen. At this point, Max knows he probably wins the driver’s championship if he can give Norris one good old crash and a DNF.
Likewise, Lando needs a DNF from Max or at least all of Ferrari and Mercedes to get in between him and Verstappen in a couple of these next races. Lando kinda has to make it happen, because next year Piastri is for all practical purposes now his equal and there will be none of the favorable treatment Norris is likely to get these last few races available in 2025.
One guy who knows all about this is Lewis Hamilton as he winds down his career at the Silver Arrows. At Singapore, the team’s tire choice and pit timing decision cost Lewis two spots and gave George Russell the upper hand. It’s clear that the mantle has been passed at Mercedes, which is totally fair given Lewis is off to Ferrari in six races.
Hamilton in a Prancing horse in 2025 is also another reason Lando must win now. Sure, I’d love Lewis to get one more win in a Merc, but if the choice becomes a Hamilton win or a Lando championship, I’m all on board for the latter. I know you didn’t see this coming, but baby for the rest year I’m taking my cheering talents to Papaya-town. I hope you’ll join me.