Singapore Recap

The second race of the SBMRL took place in Singapore on November 20th. Each driver had the opportunity to customize their car configuration, and three drivers took the opportunity to do so. Nero (CO) and Jaap (RM) each moved an engine point to tires, while the Stig did the same but also took a point from body to tires. Clearly, the large number of corners, including several sharp, 90 degree bends, influenced these drivers’ decision. The Yellow Team went unrepresented, but everyone else was there resulting in an 8 car starting grid as follows:

P1 – Captain Slow (Jason)
P2 – The Stig (Jason)
P3 – Launch Bornado (Barb)
P4 – Nero (Lonny)
P5 – Danger Wheel (Ryan)
P6 – Ice (Lonny)
P7 – Mater (Ryan)
P8 – Jaap Snellrijder (Frank)

With the track brilliantly lit for the night race, the green flag was taken with no major incidents. No one managed a fast start or suffered from a starting grid stall. Captain Slow was quick into the first corner and it became clear early on that the cars at the back of the grid would have a lot of catching up to do. Captain Slow proceeded to make quick work of the Republic Boulevard corner and took the long straight at speed.

For most of the first lap, the cars found themselves in three groups, all aiming to catch Captain Slow. Launch Bornado and the Stig battled for second place while Nero and Danger Wheel followed. The remaining three cars jockeyed in the back. Cars went heavy on the tires and there was a lot of heavy downshifting into the corners. A few minor scrapes but no one in serious danger of wrecking their cars meant that almost everyone opted for a technical pit stop. The key changes heading into the second lap were that Launch and Nero had closed the gap on Captain Slow, and that Jaap had created some separation from Mater and Ice. Danger Wheel and Mater had, essentially, flipped positions.  In all, however, the mid group was closer together and that would result in some extremely tight racing to come.

The first indication that the second lap would not be at all similar to the first was the fact that Captain Slow actually found himself as far back as 3rd place in the long straight heading into the Suntec City corner. Unfortunately for Nero and Launch, the two cars level with the Captain, that was essentially the last they’d see of him. He would take the next two corners perfectly and that was the last of it. He was, so to speak, off to the races. Only a couple of major mistakes would see him lose the race, and he delivered the goods.

That wasn’t the only problem Nero and Launch were facing, however. In their failures to keep up with Captain Slow, they were caught from behind by the Stig, Mater, and Jaap. All five cars found themselves bunched up in Crossroads. Stig had come in a bit too hot and had to slow down for City Hall. He could only watch from behind as the tightest 4 car bunch possible plowed towards the 2-stop Concert Hall corner. Despite the distance, Stig kept the others in his sights.

It was on the return side of Crossroads that the fortune of two of the five changed dramatically. First, Nero managed to hit the corner just right and soon found himself well ahead of the contending pack. Second place now looked far more secure. Secondly, the two Regency Motors cars and the Stig, already into the Crossroads corner, left little room for Mater to work with. Pushing hard to get around on the outside, Mater cut things just a little to tight and clipped the back of Launch Bornado. Launch rolled on no worse for the wear, but Mater found himself in the barrier and out of the race.

This left Launch, Jaap, and the Stig battling it out for 3rd to 5th place. While they were able to catch Nero for a moment in Carlton Millenia, Nero was always one step ahead and they never really challenged him for 2nd. The final position for those three was ultimately determined by the final, Marina Promenade, corner. While the Stig was able to get to the corner first, Launch found the inside line and was able to get the jump there. Jaap took the opposite tack. He went around the outside, and while the Stig was ahead, Jaap found 5th gear more responsive and was able to just edge himself into 4th place. Ice was able to take the 3rd sector in better form than Danger Wheel to come in a distant 6th.

Final Results

Race Gallery