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606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on the action
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By Sam Lyon
BBC Sport’s Sarah Holt on Twitter:](http://twitter.com/sarahholtf1)“Most of the drivers are milling around the paddock in their shorts trying to stay cool until the very last minute. It is steamy here!”
smifffies on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57665866)“Glad Rubens Barrichello’s damage didn’t mean a pit lane start. Hopefully, with the strategy the Brawns have, they should get at least a pocketful of points - and maybe more with a safety car”**1214: **More on Nick Heidfeld’s demotion from seventh on the grid to the back, by the way - BMW Sauber have said the wrong ballast weights were accidentally fitted to the car for qualifying. Oops.
Rod in Newhaven via text on 81111: “After a first corner shunt taking out the Red Bulls it ends being Hamilton, Barichello, Buton on the podium.” 1210: Bom… ba ba bom ba ba bom bom bom bom… It’s The Chain folks, which can only mean one thing - Jake and the team are waiting expectedly for you. Our moving pictures have started people.BBC Sport’s Sarah Holt in Singapore: “Rubens Barrichello was surprisingly chipper about his race prospects despite his crash during qualifying, but he was less enthusiastic about the changes that have been made to Singapore’s street circuit. The kerbs have been raised at the chicane at Turn 10 to slow it down while other corners have been modified. ‘It’s a difficult track,’ says Barrichello. ‘We come to enjoy a night race and it is different but we have to look into solutions for next year. There is not a lot space to have an off, it’s bumpy and when we have practice at 6pm you can see a hell of a lot more than we can during the night racing. We need to improve the situation.’ Lewis Hamilton also called the track ‘dangerous’ this weekend, although he was a lot more complimentary after qualifying.”
Tom, Harlech via text on 81111: “Everyone is forgetting Rosberg here. He’s only fuelled about a lap less than Hamilton, he’s on the clean side of the grid, and set the quickest time of anyone all weekend on Saturday - Hamilton couldn’t touch it. A good outside bet at I’d say!” 1200: Two variables, by the way, to bear in mind for today’s race. Firstly, and for entirely different reasons to last year, there is every chance a safety car introduction may be needed today. The drivers met on Friday to discuss this Marina Bay track - and the conclusion was not good. “Dangerous” was the word used by Lewis Hamilton - so keep your eyes peeled. Secondly,the weather.All is calm in Singapore at the moment, with the sun setting quickly over a very hot and very humid track. However, a glance at the forecast suggests heavy rain is on the way - the only question is will it arrive during or after today’s race BBC Sport’s Sarah Holt in Singapore: “Ross Brawn has been figuring out how to maximise his team’s point-scoring chances with Rubens Barrichello starting in 10th and Jenson Button behind him in 12th. First of all, there was the problem of repairing Barrichello’s car after his qualifying crash. Assessing the problem last night, Brawn said: ‘The left side of his car has gone and will be replaced. The chassis and the bodywork need checking.’ Barrichello changed his gearbox, which had been threatening to give up in Monza, before qualifying and Brawn said: ‘Luckily it doesn’t look like we need another gearbox change after we hit the wall quite hard.’ Brawn has conceded that sealing the constructors’ crown - by out-scoring Red Bull by 14 points in Singapore - may now have to wait until next week’s race in Japan.”
ButtonNumber22 on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57665866)"There’s bound to be a safety car, making the race almost unpredictable, but if I had to guess, I’d say Hamilton. Maybe Kovalainen can help him out, with a well timed crash…"1152: BREAKING NEWS: BMW’s Nick Heidfeld has been relegated to the back of the grid after his car was found to be underweight following yesterday’s qualifying session. As a result, the German has taken the opportunity to change his gearbox and engine. All that means that Rubens Barrichello is now ninth on the grid, with title rival and Brawn team-mate Jenson Button 11th. 1149: So, have you all had a chance to have a look overour fuel-adjusted gridThe changes aren’t quite as dramatic as at some races this season - but again it gives an excellent indication of the front-runners’ pace here. And Lewis Hamilton looks bang on course to challenge for top spot - he’s on pole, is fuelled longer than any of the top seven, and was over half a second quicker than nearest challenger Nico Rosberg on Saturday. Music to Jenson Button’s ears.bolmedias on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57665866)“Rosberg for me. If Rubens hadn’t crashed, the Williams would definitely be on Pole today.”
BBC Sport’s Sarah Holt in Singapore: "So here we are then, ready for the second edition of Formula 1’s only night race and, rather more infamously, back at the scene of the ‘crash-gate’ saga which has seen the sport splashed across the headlines for the past few weeks. The repercussions from the scandal may still be rumbling through the paddock and probably no-one is feeling them more than Renault’s Bob Bell, who is managing to survive a nervous first weekend as technical director AND acting team principal.
“But, I thought you’d like to know that Renault are still managing to retain a sense of fun here. Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race in controversial circumstances last year, has been in good spirits after his media grilling on Thursday, talking to anyone in the paddock who happens to walk past. And I took part in a bit of silly Renault promotion on the way to the track this morning. What do you reckon - Holt for 2010 Hmmm, perhaps not.”
Rafael & Fabio - Perfect Combination! on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57665866)“Rubens for fifth, Button won’t win any points today, making sure Rubens makes up some ground in the title race.”
aattaacckk on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57665866)"My money is on Hamilton. He is pit-stopping after everyone else in the top 10 except for Kubica and Kovalainen, but they aren’t close enough to challenge. Kers off the line should see him keep out of trouble too."1139: Which brings me rather nicely to you guys. Why don’t you all get in touch - over on606](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57665866)or via text on 81111 - with your thoughts on the race both in Singapore and for the championship If you draw my interest and/or make me laugh, I will provide you your very own dear-diary moment by putting your name and comment on a page seen my millions. That’s this one. Erm, optimistically. Nice one. 1137: However, all is not lost for our intrepid hero. Brawn GP team-mate and main title rival Rubens Barrichello will only be two places ahead on the grid after he was demoted a mandatory five places for a change of gearbox during Saturday qualifying. The Brazilian is also relying on his team of mechanics to rebuild a car that he tried to mould into a Rubix Cube in crashing out of Q3 yesterday - more on that later. The Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, the other two drivers in Button’s rear-view mirror in the title race, meanwhile, may be second and fourth on the grid respectively but are both onan early pit-stop strategythat may or may not leave them under threat from the rest of the pack. And then there is pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton. On a track that demands precision, nerve and confidence - the exact traits that make Hamilton the champion he is (thanks toMark Hughes in The Timesfor that one) - the McLaren driver might just prove Button’s greatest ally since Matt Damon turned to Ben Affleck and said: “Fancy writing a film about maths, then” As always, it’s all to play for, so where’s ya money1134: Yes, 14 races into a season that he once looked like dominating to the point of embarrassment and our drivers’ championship leaderJenson Button is looking about as calm and assured as a koala on a hit tin roof.Yesterday’s qualifying session saw the Briton, armed with a car that showed few signs of the struggles that were to follow, fail to reach the third and final session andsecure a grid position way down in 12th.Button had promised us this weekend would mark a return to form, a return to winning ways that would once and for all kill off his title rivals. Except now his championship charge has rarely looked more under threat. It’s the title race that refuses to conclude too early, folks.1130: Let’s kick off with a fun little game. We’ll call it “Choose the Adjective”. Which of the following applies to Jenson Button…
Stage fright: A state of nervousness about performing some action in front of a group of people, on or off of a stage; nerves; uncertainty; a lack of self-assurance before an audience.
Tension: mental or emotional strain; intense, suppressed suspense, anxiety, or excitement.
***Blip: ***A temporary or insignificant phenomenon, a brief departure from the normal; a temporary irregularity in the performance of somethingThis article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.