singapore grand prix singapore grand prix formally known formula singapore grand prix formula motor race held september singapore race thirteenth round season eighth time race run round formula world championship defending race winner mercedes entered leader points points ahead teammate points ahead ferrari mercedes came race leading championship points ahead ferrari williams points place won race pole position ahead second mercedes team struggled singapore recorded retirement season managed fourth place closing gap championship points report background coming singapore forced change power unit engine failure previous race italy fourth unit season power unit change away possible grid penalty formula debut signing race deal replace acting race grand prix australia venezuela assisted driver steward appearance position malaysian grand prix brought heavily updated car featuring shorter nose revised rear wings new engine cover brake came singapore new parts bringing revised wing introduced new component car equipped new turning installed improve car create feature run cars following updates included changes rear wing brake force india modifications floor rear wheels approved minor changes layout ahead modifications ran turn turn drivers turned right turn left slightly entry track shifting left hand changed profile turn drivers anderson bridge turn widened metre order increase overtaking opportunities drag reduction system activation zones race turns seven length second start finish straight turn turn previous year event season row formula sole tyre supplier brought yellow banded soft compound tyre harder prime tyre red banded compound tyre softer option tyre green banded intermediate weather blue banded wet weather compounds forest fires continuing burn neighboring indonesia heavy concern event levels forced cancellation events singapore week leading race organisers speculate threat cancellation later reported lifted race ahead restrictions coming race weekend leading drivers championship points points ahead teammate mercedes points driving ferrari standings mercedes leading points followed ferrari williams points respectively free practice regulations season practice sessions held minute sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday singapore night race practice sessions started later local time second session friday meant gap practice sessions half hour shorter races mercedes cars fastest session friday topping time sheets championship leader second seconds seconds slower ahead briefly left track turn end session felt faster teammate able laps fuel system problem finished session eighteenth ahead drivers manor placed albeit close teammate stevens crashing turn ending timed runs drivers left track early practice stevens second manor driver contact barriers damaging car limited laps running team spent session repairing damage practice eventually finished seconds topped session time second red bull daniel finished hamilton fastest mercedes driver fourth managed seventh fastest finished eighth second teammate 14th power unit expressed disappointment team pace saying hoped car better drivers minor contact walls narrow singapore circuit including pastor suffered left rear hitting wall turn performances expected genuine challenge teams rest weekend ferrari optimistic said looking mercedes felt mercedes looked bit slow sure change tomorrow practice session saturday evening fastest half second teammate pace followed mercedes cars trailed second continued good form finished seventh fastest problems session early run interrupted leaving track later called drive pit lane cool car fastest williams driver eleventh drove revised version force india cars seconds ahead stevens qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions qualifying ferrari confident run slower harder tyres rest field needed equip super soft compound topped session time tyre pastor eliminated manor pace usual team drivers received place grid penalty gearbox change drivers set fast lap tenth second set fastest time second qualifying tenths faster second placed teammate hit wall turn close end session damaging suspension wing parts debris left track session ending yellow flags force india drivers joined elimination fastest eleventh place grid failed finish laps including mercedes drivers beginning aborted fast lap mercedes struggle final sector hamilton lost half second hamilton later stated team problems generating heat tyres essential final sector high traction took pole position having led final parts qualifying ahead lost time sector having claimed fourth grid respectively followed mercedes cars half seconds pole time pole position ferrari german grand prix dry conditions years prevented record consecutive pole positions pole brought end mercedes race long run pole positions time beginning season spot grid taken mercedes powered car race formation lap appeared issue car stopped end pit lane way start grid mechanics able problem described grid starting super soft tyre compound race pit stops expected drivers start drivers field held positions good start nearly collided fighting position stalled grid pushed pits start race shortly lap leaders able build gap quickly leading seconds lap enjoyed decent start eleventh came pressure lap followed lost places start stationary lead seconds lap lap posted fast lap times held williams cars able clear pack fighting sixth place place held distance trailing seconds lap lap later driver pit cars came lap leading heavy traffic prevented leaving pit boxes costing time emerged pit lane ahead moved past thirteenth slow stop seconds pitted end lap emerged pit lane approaching racing line drivers collided right tyre causing retire race virtual safety car period ensued saw drivers pit pitted shortly safety car deployed mercedes cars able leaving sixth place stop took long time dropping 16th place lap virtual replaced actual safety car stayed end lap restart caught car stuck neutral losing places dropping 18th position managed continue safety car allowed teammate closer pack half lap lap laps saw setting steady pace conserve tyres leading hamilton declare backing team radio lap hamilton reported loss power crew subsequently lost positions rapidly dropping ninth lap eventually retiring lap problems car similar saw car switch neutral driving pit lane stopping lap retired lap later ending race lap gearbox lap came second pit stop trouble tyres caused lose positions dropped ninth time held second advantage overtook ninth lap second safety car period caused lap man walking track drivers safety car pit new tyres including emerged tenth place lap instructed safety car failed acceptable time race resumed lap stuck runners lap button racing pastor position collided turn damaging button wing forced pit exchanged button rejoined 14th place telling team radio known mental speaking lap started lap ninth set new fastest lap race lap later took eighth place teammate followed laps later complaining left set fastest lap lap seconds leading man lap saw second retire suffering gearbox issue closing stages race fifth experienced gearbox problems able continue lap ran wide let final point scoring position tenth lap instructed let teammate pass eighth refused stayed place crossed line win race took entire allowed span hours post race podium interviews conducted team owner described race best calling great day great weekend revealed drink bottle failed halfway race causing drivers lose litres sweat singapore race second placed said felt overtaking pitting earlier possible safety car periods expressed surprise performance considering struggled handling car qualifying race speaking track stated post race press conference saw taking picture continued hope good hope focus yeah pretty crazy approach corner don know wouldn cross track crazy obviously later revealed year old british citizen appeared court tuesday following race offered bail unable pay later sentenced serve weeks jail race handed place grid penalty following race japan causing collision lap frustrated decision saying accident don understand given penalty chance discuss incident room view corner surprised backed late locking hit different view incident stating braking corner turned car leaving hit decided appeal decision williams head vehicle performance lamented slow pit stop team preceded incident saying exited pits safely ahead initial reactions united_kingdom agreed decision german tabloid called penalty joke later accepted fault apologised text message concerning accident button action taken followed mental race stating felt driving strange won change answered saying driver happy car want past especially damages car trying overtake got damage cars trying past defending position racing following controversial refusal follow team orders let teammate pass final lap race team principal later backed driver team wanted swap positions thought faster new tyres case catch far away max said right ferrari team came criticism race team personnel broke barrier security enter celebrate victory team announced intended send written apology officials security staff incident result race hamilton lead drivers championship cut points second place moved closer points hamilton retirement saw drop fourth sixth standings overtaken championship ferrari closed gap leaders mercedes trailing points race prove finish course drivers championship classification qualifying notes stevens received place grid penalty gearbox change remained 19th identical penalty received place grid penalty gearbox change race notes classified despite retiring completing race distance place grid penalty japanese grand prix causing collision championship standings race bold text indicates mathematical chance note positions included sets standings
2015 Singapore Grand Prix