28/09/2022
NEWS STORY
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN is ready to race into the night as the team heads to Singapore for the first race in Marina Bay since 2019. The Singapore Grand Prix, the 17th race of the 2022 season, opens the Asian back-to-back that will see the team also compete in Japan before the final forays in the Americas and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Singapore holds a special place in the imagination of Formula One fans: it was the original night race, the first time F1 cars would dazzle under the floodlights, regaling us with pictures of the shiny machines blasting past Raffles Boulevard and breath-taking aerial shots of the lit up city. It was one of the first, authentic destination races, in which the city is as much part of the show as the action on track: the Little Red Dot, with its inspiring looks, proud history and vision for the future, is the perfect backdrop for racing and a metaphor for F1 itself. In just a short time - the first race was held here in 2008 - Singapore has established itself as a Formula One classic, earning its place in the calendar after historical Monza, only with the foul-smelling durian fruit replacing pineapple (on pizza) as the event bogeyman (bogeyfruit?).
Singapore is a special race for the world of Formula One, too. It's a peculiar one, a race in which to juggle European times on South-East Asian soil; a race of late wake-ups, even later bed times, heat and humidity. But far from being displeasing, these elements all make Singapore a race like no other: you haven't really fully been in the sport unless you have a fun Singapore story to share.
There's a lot at stake on this race, on and off the track: the team approaches with serenity and determination, following on a solid performance in Monza that saw points coming home to Hinwil; and on the announcement of the completion of our line-up for 2023, a statement of continuity and belief in our project and its main actors.
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN approaches Singapore with confidence and expectation: in a place like no other, in a race like no other, we're ready to shine under the lights.
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "After a few weeks away from the track, during which we put our focus into analysing our performances over the late summer triple-header and finalising the upgrades we will soon bring to the track, we head back overseas for the final six races of the season. Singapore has always been a highly demanding track, with the hot temperatures and the different timings adding to the challenges of a street circuit, but I am confident our team comes prepared for the task ahead. The pace we showed in Monza was promising, and a starting point for the upcoming back-to-back in Asia; we have the chance to do well here, so we must be at the top of our game in order to qualify in a good position and bring home more points."
Valtteri Bottas: "It's nice to be back on track after a few weeks away; I've spent some time at the factory, working on the simulator to prepare for the upcoming double-header, and I am looking forward to returning to Singapore. It's been three years since we last raced here, I enjoyed racing on this track in the past - I have been on the podium in 2017 - and the challenges it brings with the heat and the humidity. It was unfortunate not being able to get the most out of the car in Monza, as our pace had been good all weekend. Being a street circuit, Singapore allows very little margin for mistakes, but if we do everything right and put the cars in a good place on Saturday, I'm positive we will be able to fight for points during the race."
Zhou Guanyu: "This has been a really good week so far, with the news of my contract extension yesterday, and now I am really looking forward to competing in Singapore: it's the closest to a home race for me this season, and I will have family and friends supporting me here. On top of that, the track will be brand new to discover for me; it will be tough, as it's a street race at night and in very peculiar weather conditions, but I feel confident and ready. Going back to scoring points in Monza was a great morale booster, and together with the competitive pace we had, it must be the base on which to build our weekend. The midfield will likely be very tight once again but doing our job well and being at the top of our performances will let us get in the mix and try to start a new point-scoring streak."