Formula One: Singapore Grand Prix – 1 race, 24 different reactions! (Part 7)
For these participants, going through the entire race distance in one piece was more than an achievement. Not to mention their respective rivalries that were just as important to their respective camps, and just as fierce as the
battles at the top end of the table.
Virgin
The second Virgin, featuring Timo Glock, made a respectable start to the race but it wasn't good enough to prevent both Lotus cars from getting past off the line. However, the German driver was able to reclaim Trulli on turn 7
and was met with the tantalizing prospect of doing the same to the other Lotus. Unlike his team mate, Glock opted to stay out on track during the first safety car period which worked out reasonably as he was in contention of scoring points in P 10. The promotion
came at a price though. He was holding off a chain of much faster drivers behind. His defenses were finally compromised as Adrian Sutil overtook him which further opened the door for others to exploit. The driver related it to issues with his tyre as he had
to go off the line when Sutil burst through. The resulting dirty tyres had him struggling for grip and he just couldn't react quick enough to close the door early enough. Talking about the second safety car period, the Toro Rosso driver believed that they
were extremely unlucky. This time, opting to head to the pits for new tyres, the driver found himself shunned to the back. To make matters worse, the car developed a hydraulic problem in the dying laps of the race which meant a premature goodbye for the German.
In the end, Timo Glock felt hopeful for the trip to Japan where he felt his car would be a touch competitive with the new upgrade.
Lotus F1
Heikki Kovalinen felt that things didn’t go according to plan on the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Until literally being on fire, the Finn believed that he was having a decently competitive run and the car felt balanced throughout.
The script was all set for a 15th but the contact with Buemi spoilt the party. Having to spin the car to get on track quickly, the Lotus driver believed that the resultant move cracked the fuel tank pressure release valve which subsequently caused
the fire. Bowing down to safety regulations, coming to the pits was not a sensible option which in turn meant pulling over on the main straight. Having acquired an extinguisher from a couple of Williams’ personnel at the side of the track, Kovalainen cleaned
up his own mess. The young driver saw the lighter side as he suggested to his team that with the added skill set of a fireman, he deserved more pay!
Jarno Truli categorized his start off the line as a strong one as he was running side by side his team mate. However, not long after, things went downhill, as his car was left with a punctured tyre just after the safety car. This
forced him into the pits. However, soon after, the car’s hydraulics gave way – a rather common reliability issue for the Lotus this year. However, as the Lotus driver felt hard done by the Singapore outing, he was quick to point out to what lay ahead. The
Italian added that he regarded Suzuka a track that he really looked forward to on the Formula One calendar, and hoped to have a car to match his enthusiasm. Trulli, a driver that was often seen on the podium in the 2005 season for Toyota, should be commended
for his ‘never say die’ attitude. However, there shall always be a percentage that might criticize him for his lack of ambition – A driver gone cold?
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