"Nico is now looking like a man fighting and meaning to win the world championship" says Sky F1 pundit Damon Hill; Race underway at 1pm on Sky F1
Monday 19 September 2016 14:17, UK
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the world champions have "failed" Lewis Hamilton in Singapore.
Hamilton has endured a problematic and scruffy weekend, with his form arguably a cause and effect dynamic stemming from his lack of track time in Practice Two on Friday when a fault on his W07 car cost him precious lap time.
"The time lost yesterday has proved more valuable than I thought," rued Hamilton after qualifying just third.
In his press briefing on Saturday evening, Wolff said Mercedes accepted culpability after Hamilton failed to dial-in his W07 for the Q3 shoot-out when he was comprehensively outpaced by Nico Rosberg and also lost out on a front-row starting berth to Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
"Here we failed," Wolff acknowledged. "Lewis did not have a car able to extract all the performance."
Hamilton unsure on victory chances
Hamilton currently leads the world championship but victory for Rosberg in this afternoon's race, exclusively live on Sky F1 from 1pm, would see the German take the lead in the title race with just six rounds remaining.
"Nico is now looking like a man fighting and meaning to win the world championship," summarised Sky F1 pundit Damon Hill. "I get the impression that Lewis has come here and is a little out of sorts. That can happen with Lewis - sometimes l feel his concentration goes.
"But that doesn't mean he isn't on form. His form can turn around pretty quickly and then he's dynamite."
Meanwhile, the grid for Sunday's race has been revised after the stewards punished Force India's Sergio Perez for a pair of infringements during qualifying with an eight-place demotion.
However, Perez is set to gain one position back with Romain Grosjean, provisionally 14th on the grid, taking a gearbox change penalty after crashing in Q2.
Sebastian Vettel has had a nominal 25-place grid penalty added to his qualifying result for engine and gearbox changes, but the Ferrari driver was already consigned to last place.
Provisional Singapore GP grid with starting tyres for Q3 finishers
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, ultrasoft
2. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, supersoft
3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, ultrasoft
4. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, supersoft
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, ultrasoft
6. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, ultrasoft
7. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, ultrasoft
8. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, ultrasoft
9. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, ultrasoft
10. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, free tyre choice
11. Felipe Massa, Williams, free tyre choice
12. Jenson Button, McLaren, free tyre choice
13. Esteban Gutierrez, Haas, free tyre choice
14. Romain Grosjean, Haas, free tyre choice
15. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, free tyre choice
16. Kevin Magnussen, Renault, free tyre choice
17. Felipe Nasr, Sauber, free tyre choice
18. Sergio Perez, Force India, ultrasofts
19. Jolyon Palmer, Renault, free tyre choice
20. Pascal Wehrlein, Manor, free tyre choice
21. Esteban Ocon, Manor, free tyre choice
22. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, free tyre choice
