Formula 1 News

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SPONSORS JUMP SHIP FROM RENAULT

ING and Mutua Madrilena have curtailed their sponsorship deals with scandal-hit Formula One team Renault.

The team has been handed a suspended disqualification from F1 over the plot involving team principal Flavio Briatore, executive director of engineering Pat Symonds and driver Nelson Piquet Jnr to cause a crash in last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

All three individuals implicated in the scandal have since left Renault, but the changes have arrived too late to save two of the team's key sponsorships.

ING, Renault's principal sponsor, confirmed earlier this year that it would not be extending its backing beyond the 2009 season.

However, in the wake of the World Motor Sport Council's verdict on the case on Monday, the Dutch financial group announced earlier today that it had opted to terminate the contract "with immediate effect".

A statement from the group added: "ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship."

Earlier today, Spanish insurance firm Mutua Madrilena announced it would end its backing due to the "substantial breach" of F1 rules by Renault.

"The behaviour of the relevant people in the team was extraordinarily serious and compromised not only the integrity of the sport, but also the lives of spectators, drivers and circuit personnel," read a statement from Mutua Madrilena.

"This is something that can affect the image, reputation and good name of the team's sponsors."

Mutua Madrilena added, though, that it will continue to back Renault driver Fernando Alonso, fuelling rumours that the Spanish ace could be about to switch to Ferrari.




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RIVALS CAN'T SEE PIQUET RETURNING

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton believes it will be difficult for Nelson Piquet Jnr to return to the sport following the race-fixing scandal at last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Brazilian revealed after he was dropped by Renault earlier this season that he was instructed by his team to crash during the 2008 night race, a manoeuvre that ultimately led to team-mate Fernando Alonso taking the victory.

Piquet Jnr was granted immunity for giving evidence in front of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council on Monday at which Renault were handed a suspended ban from the series.

The 24-year-old is free to seek another drive in F1, but knows that will be easier said than done and is considering rebuilding his career in America.

Piquet Jnr's actions have drawn scorn from some but Hamilton wished him all the best in his bid to get his career back on track.

"I can never see myself being in that position and I'm sure it's the same for the rest of us drivers here," said the McLaren driver.

"All I can say is that I wish him well. I know how tough it can be in tough situations and I'm sure he and his family don't feel so great right now.

"All I can do is send some positive energy and hope the best for them."

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen also believes it will be tough for Piquet Jnr to return.

"He admitted it himself but I think it will be difficult for him to get back after that kind of thing," said the Finn.

"It's not something I want to be involved in. If he comes back, it's going to be good for him, if not maybe there is a reason for it."

Red Bull's Mark Webber also entered into the debate, saying: "Whether he should get a big penalty or not is not that easy to comment on.

"I think enough damage has been done to him.

"First of all, he got himself in a situation that of course he regrets. That's what he did and that's what he has to live with.

"I think it's very difficult for him to come back."




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BUTTON RELISHING BATTLE WITH RUBENS

Jenson Button admits he is enjoying his tussle with Rubens Barrichello as the Brawn GP team-mates prepare to resume their world championship duel in Singapore this weekend.

Button leads Barrichello by 14 points in the drivers' championship with four races remaining, although it is the latter who is in the best form at the moment with two wins from the last three races.

Button, meanwhile, is without a win since capturing his sixth of the season at the Turkish Grand Prix in June.

Consequently, Barrichello has made up significant ground on his team-mate in recent races although the challenge of Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber has faded.

And Button revealed he prefers to be challenging with Barrichello due to his better understanding of the Brazilian's tactics.

"I understand Rubens a lot more than Sebastian and Mark, and obviously he has the same equipment as me," said the 29-year-old.

"I need to finish as close to Rubens as I can in every race if I am thinking about the championship.

"As long as I qualify well and finish close to him then it is fine.

"However, as every driver will say, they don't want to do that, they want to go out and win and I have come to Singapore to challenge."

Button stressed the title battle has not damaged his relationship with Barrichello.

"The only way of going about it is fairly and we both understand that," he added.

"We both have the same tools so it is whoever does the best over the season that comes out on top.

"We both respect each other and it is exciting within the team. The atmosphere is good at the moment."

Despite his strong position at the top of the standings, Button is refusing to entertain thoughts of a world title just yet.

In 2007 fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton looked certain to claim the championship with a dominant lead heading into the final two races of the season only to be pipped to the title by Kimi Raikkonen at the final race.

"As Lewis said a couple of races ago, he had 17 points going into the last two races and lost it by a point," Button added.

"We just have to stay positive and take it as it comes.

"I am not going to drive slower or anything this weekend, I just have to do my own thing and get a good result."





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BERNIE BACKS TODT CAMPAIGN

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has thrown his weight behind Jean Todt's bid to succeed Max Mosley as president of the FIA.

Former Ferrari team principal Todt is battling with 1981 world rally champion Ari Vatanen to take over at the helm of world motorsport's governing body when Mosley stands down after 16 years in the role next month.

Frenchman Todt, 63, already enjoys widespread support from a host of influential FIA members, including the incumbent president, and is the favourite to triumph in the election on October 23.

The support of Ecclestone adds yet further gloss to the slick campaign put together by Todt, who presided over Ferrari's most successful period in F1 as Michael Schumacher won five successive world championships between 2000 and 2004.

"I have known Jean for many years," said Ecclestone. "He is a most reliable, gifted and trustworthy person.

"He is determined and dedicated to whatever goals he sets himself and I admire and respect him greatly for everything he has achieved.

"The FIA needs a president that is strong, capable and with experience at the highest levels of motor sport.

"Jean is by far the most knowledgeable and capable candidate for this vitally important role. I hope everybody will support his candidacy."




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ENCOURAGING PRACTICE FOR BRAWN

Brawn GP enjoyed an encouraging first practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix as Rubens Barrichello topped the timesheet with team-mate and championship rival Jenson Button a close second.

Barrichello, who trails Button by 14 points in the drivers' championship ahead of this weekend's night race on the Marina Bay street circuit, posted a time of one minute 50.179 seconds.

Button was 0.177secs slower than the Brazilian with a time of 1:50.356s but will be pleased with his session having enjoyed a number of spells at the top of the timesheet throughout.

Red Bull's Mark Webber, who this week played down his own chances of winning the championship, was third fastest at 1:50.416.

Last year's winner Fernando Alonso finished fourth with a time of 1:50.567 in his Renault car, which had little sponsorship on show following ING and Mutua Madrilena's decision to withdraw their support with immediate effect.

Alonso's team-mate Romain Grosjean saw his practice session ended midway through in somewhat ironic circumstances.

The 23-year-old, who had been cleared to drive shortly before Friday's practice after recovering from a stomach virus, caused the session to be temporarily stopped when he lost control of his car at Turn 17 and spun across the circuit to come to rest at the same spot where the controversial crash by Nelson Piquet Jnr occurred last year.

Sebastian Vettel, of Red Bull, enjoyed a pleasing session to finish fifth fastest with a time of 1:50.614 while the McLaren pair of Heikki Kovalainen and reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton finished sixth and seventh respectively.

BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica claimed eighth fastest while Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Kazuki Nakajima of Williams completed the top 10.

While qualifying and the race itself will once again be under lights, this session saw Formula One cars driving in daylight for the first time in Singapore with practice commencing one hour earlier than it had last year.



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BELL WANTS POSITIVE END

Bob Bell is looking for a positive finish to the season as Renault attempt to rebuild following the 2008 Singapore race-fixing controversy.

Bell has stepped in as team principal for the remainder of the season, replacing Flavio Briatore who resigned along with former engineering head Pat Symonds after an internal investigation found them complicit in the conspiracy that led to Nelson Piquet Jnr crashing his car in last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Formula One circus returns to the scene of the "Crashgate" incident this weekend and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso gave his team some encouragement with the second fastest time in the second session of free practice on Friday.

And Bell is eager for a period of stability in the remaining four races.

"We need to consolidate a reasonably strong upper midfield position and we need for Fernando (Alonso) at least to be challenging for podiums," he said.

"That is the objective for this weekend and the rest of the season."

It has been a trying week for Renault after they were handed a suspended ban by the FIA on Monday for their part in the race-fixing scandal, while they have suffered sponsorship blows after ING and Mutua Madrilena decided to withdraw their support with immediate affect.

However, Bell remains confident the team will pull through their recent troubles.

"If you look at what we have just been through and the support Renault have given us, it speaks volumes for their commitment to the team and Formula One in general," he added.

"I am not sure if many other manufacturers would have stood behind the team as well as Renault have."



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BUTTON READING LITTLE INTO PRACTICE

Jenson Button is refusing to entertain thoughts of an overdue victory on Sunday just yet despite enjoying a productive night of practice ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Brawn GP driver was second fastest behind team-mate and title rival Rubens Barrichello in the first session on Friday before setting the fifth fastest time in the second under the lights at the Marina Bay street circuit.

Button is without a win since June and has managed just one appearance on the podium since then.

The 29-year-old knows he needs to improve if he is to remain on course for a maiden world championship title and, though he is confident about his chances this weekend, he will continue to take each race as it comes.

He said: "I don't go to bed thinking 'can I win the championship?' or 'when am I going to win the championship?'

"I take it race by race.

"Every race I go to I want to perform as well as I can and I want to win so that is the way I think.

"I am excited about this weekend, it's a circuit I enjoy and already our pace looks good.

"We had a pretty full-on evening with a busy programme of set-up evaluations and tyre testing.

"This venue is a tough one with the heat and humidity to contend with and the nature of the circuit and the closeness of the barriers demand your total concentration.

"The key is achieving consistently quick laps and that's what we've been working on today. The car feels reasonable and with some more work, we should be ready for a good weekend."

Button leads Barrichello by 14 points with four races of the season remaining but the Brazilian has ambitions of his own of winning the championship.

After topping the timesheets in the first session the 37-year-old dropped to 11th in the second, but he admitted he is feeling confident heading into the weekend.

"The car is feeling pretty good here after the first practice sessions and we're pleased with the work that we achieved," he said.

"We've been focusing on our pace for Sunday and that's the most important consideration as we need the car well balanced to be quick in the race.

"I'm feeling positive and we should be able to achieve the right set-up ready for the weekend."

Sebastian Vettel harbours a slim hope of usurping the two Brawn drivers to win the championship, with the Red Bull driver third in the standings but 26 points behind Button.

Vettel was fastest in the second session of practice but the German was cautiously optimistic of his chances this weekend.

"It is a challenging track - quite 'stop and go' - you don't experience as much G-force here as other circuits," he said.

"There are a lot of bumps which don't make your life easy but I like the circuit a lot.

"Overall it was a good day for us and we look better than we did in Monza."

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton was disappointed with his performance as he finished seventh and ninth in the two sessions.

"I'm still lacking some speed in certain areas, so I need to work on that," he said.

"The sessions were a little up and down for me today - I didn't have any major problems, but I wasn't as fast as I'd hoped to be."

There was some encouragement for Renault, though, as they looked to rebuild following the race-fixing scandal as Fernando Alonso was second fastest in the second session of practice.

However, team-mate Romain Grosjean endured a frustrating evening as he crashed out of the first session - ironically in the same place Nelson Piquet Jnr did in the race last year - and could only manage 19th fastest in the second session.



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HAMILTON UNFAZED BY SLOW SESSIONS

Lewis Hamilton is hoping for an improvement from his McLaren on Saturday after failing to show good pace during today's practice for this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion could only manage seventh and ninth in the two sessions under the lights at the Marina Bay street circuit and was outpaced by team-mate Heikki Kovalainen on both occasions.

But Hamilton brushed off the importance of Friday's sessions, insisting all that matters is how he performs during qualifying on Saturday.

"The track's still very bumpy and all the traffic makes it quite difficult to get a clear lap, and the turn-10 chicane is also worse than last year - a bit more dangerous - but nobody has had any problems there so it should be okay," he said.

"Today's not the important day though and, when the track gets a bit cleaner tomorrow, we'll have a better understanding of the tyres.

"The main thing for us is to analyse the data, try and improve the car and find some more time for tomorrow."

Kovalainen, meanwhile, was understandably pleased with his performance in the two sessions having improved on sixth in the first to third in the second.

"I'm very happy," he said. "I didn't have any problems today and I think we made some good progress between the sessions.

"Both tyre compounds seem to work okay, so that's another reason to be optimistic. I'm confident we can find a bit more time overnight, too."

Brawn GP completed a one-two in the first session with Rubens Barrichello first and championship leader Jenson Button second.

The Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel then showed good pace in second free practice, with the former topping the timesheet before crashing out while the latter finished fastest for the session.

"The other teams are also looking quick here, so it's not going to be easy," added Kovalainen.

"The main difference to the track this year is the change to the turn-10 chicane, it's slower and tighter, and the kerbs are bigger so you cannot attack there because you can't afford to risk damaging the car."




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VETTEL EDGES OUT ALONSO

Sebastian Vettel fended off a late charge by Fernando Alonso to top the timesheet in the second session of free practice for this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver, who is holding on to a slim hope of winning the championship, recorded the fastest lap late in the session with a time of one minute 48.650 seconds under the lights at the Marina Bay street circuit.

Alonso, who won the inaugural night race in Singapore last year, shot up into second place with his final lap of 1min 48.924secs - 0.274s slower than Vettel - to give Renault some encouragement as they look to rebuild from the 2008 Singapore race-fixing scandal.

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen showed good pace throughout to record the third fastest time at 1:48.952 while BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld took fourth with a time of 1:49.098.

Brawn GP had completed a one-two in the first session of practice earlier today with Rubens Barrichello fastest and championship leader Jenson Button close behind in second.

However, neither were able to replicate that in this session with Button fifth fastest with a time of 1:49.311 while Barrichello finished down in 11th.

Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber had been showing good pace before his session ended after 34 minutes when he lost control of his car at the final turn and spun across the track before smashing into the pit wall.

The Australian emerged unharmed but was unable to return to the circuit for the remainder of the session although his lap time of 1:49.317 was good enough to secure sixth. Williams' Nico Rosberg took seventh with Timo Glock was eighth in his Toyota.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has vowed to go on the attack in the final four races, could only manage ninth fastest while BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica rounded out the top 10.

Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen finished 14th with team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella, preparing for his second race with Ferrari this weekend, was two places below in 16th.



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DUO PROUD TO FLY FLAG FOR BRITAIN

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have expressed their pride at flying the flag for Great Britain in Formula One as one prepares for the possibility of relinquishing the world championship to the other.

Hamilton is the reigning world champion while Button has a very real chance of securing this year's title as he leads the drivers' championship by 14 points heading into Sunday's night race in Singapore.

The prospect that the world title could once again be taken by a Briton is all the more impressive considering Hamilton's success last year was the first for a British driver since Damon Hill in 1996.

Great Britain performed well at the Olympics last year while England recently defeated Australia to win the Ashes, and Button admits he is pleased to have a role in the success his country has enjoyed of late.

"It is great to be a part of our country's success," said the Brawn GP driver.

"I don't know if it is the first time that one season has been won by a British driver and then the next season another British driver has been leading it but it is a nice position for the British public and a great position for us two.

"I think we have done some great things in the past but we dwell on the negatives a little bit.

"In rugby and football we have been fantastic in the past and obviously we did well in the Olympics, while Lewis (Hamilton) won the world championship so there are so many sports we have achieved great things in."

Hamilton echoed his compatriot's sentiments, adding: "I am personally very proud to contribute in our country's success and I am proud to represent us.

"I think we have had a pretty strong couple of years. We have seen some great athletes coming through and doing great jobs, they have suffered a lot of pressure but dealt with it well."

Since Hamilton's debut season in 2007, battles between the two drivers at the front of the grid have been disappointingly rare.

Last season, Hamilton was competing at the head of the pack while Button was struggling towards the back.

This year the tables have turned with Hamilton having endured a frustrating campaign in his McLaren, but the 24-year-old believes he has learnt from the experience and is relishing the chance to tussle with Button next season.

"Watching one another we can always learn from each other," he added.

"For me it has been a great experience and I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I am looking forward to hunting him down next year."




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VETTEL CONFIDENT IN SINGAPORE

Sebastian Vettel is confident he and Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber will be competitive at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix as they look to bounce back from their disappointing showing at Monza earlier this month.

Red Bull picked up just one point at the Italian Grand Prix as Vettel finished eighth while Webber failed to complete the race having been shunted out by BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica.

But the pair showed promise in practice, particularly in the second session where Webber had set the pace before crashing out while Vettel set he fastest time of the day to finish top of the timesheet.

Vettel trails championship leader Jenson Button by 26 points and needs a good performance this weekend to keep alive his diminishing title hopes.

And while the German was disappointed that a number of minor changes to the Marina Bay street circuit appear to have made it a slightly slower track this year, he was pleased with his own performance during practice.

"We can see from the times that the track is a little bit slower here than it was last year, which is a shame because some of the faster corners are now not so quick, but overall the character has remained the same," said Vettel.

"It's a challenging track - quite stop and go - you don't experience as much G-force here as on other circuits, but there are a lot of bumps, which don't make your life easy, but I like the circuit a lot.

"Overall, it was a good day for us and we look better here than we did in Monza."

Webber, meanwhile, was frustrated to see his session come to a premature end after having shown good pace, but the Australian remains confident he and Vettel can have a good weekend.

"I was pushing a little bit too hard in the second practice, it was a bit slippery off line and I went off in the last corner and into the pit wall, which ended my session," he said.

"The car was going well up until then; I was quick and both Sebastian and I had pretty good practice sessions.

"I would have liked to have done a bit more mileage, but in the end we still learned quite a bit and we'll be back (on Saturday).

"I think it should be a good race for us, it will be interesting as the tyres are not massively easy to handle here, so we'll have to work on that. But, overall, not too bad."



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BUTTON: PRESSURE IS ON VETTEL

Jenson Button insists the pressure is on those behind him in the drivers' championship rather than himself as the race for the world title continues at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Brawn GP driver holds a 14-point lead over team-mate Rubens Barrichello and the pair showed good pace in the first session of free practice on Friday to sit at the top of the timesheet.

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who are third and fourth in the drivers' championship respectively, suggested they too could be on form come on Sunday with promising displays in the second session of practice.

But Button believes the onus is on the Red Bulls, and particularly Vettel, to produce a good performance this weekend.

"He (Vettel) is 26 points behind and he obviously has to beat me and by quite a bit this weekend," said the 29-year-old.

"Their car looks pretty quick around here, I'm not sure if it is as quick as ours but we will have to wait and see for qualifying and see the race pace.

"It is a very important weekend for them but, for us, we want to do as well as we can and we are not under pressure."

Button has four races left to fend off the challenges of Barrichello, Vettel and Webber and secure a maiden world title.

However, he is refusing to let thoughts of claiming the title enter his head just yet and is instead taking each race as it comes.

"I am not thinking about it too much," he added. "That is the way I should be.

"I don't go to bed thinking 'can I win the championship?' or 'when am I going to win the championship?'

"I take it race by race.

"Every race I go to I want to perform as well as I can and I want to win so that is the way I think.

"As a racing driver it is in the back of your mind that you don't want to crash and you don't want to make mistakes and that doesn't change just because you are fighting for a championship.

"I am excited about this weekend, it's a circuit I enjoy and already our pace looks good."




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FERRARI BOSS BUOYED BY MASSA PROGRESS

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has confirmed Felipe Massa is back in training as the Brazilian steps up his recovery from the life-threatening injuries he suffered during a crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix earlier this year.

Massa was knocked out by a spring that had come off Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP car during qualifying for the race in July and subsequently smashed into a tyre wall.

The 28-year-old underwent an operation to repair a fractured skull, but is now well on the road to recovery and this week confirmed he plans get back behind the wheel at a charity karting event in November.

And Domenicali admitted ahead of Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix he is pleased with Massa's progress.

"Felipe is recovering quite well," he said. "He has started a training programme in terms of fitness and again starting his preparation.

"The next step will be to start a programme on the simulator and then the programme will be to do some kart running.

"As soon as these things are fine, then we will decide when to put him back in a proper racing car."

However, the future of Massa's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen remains unclear.

Rumours that Renault driver Fernando Alonso could replace the Finn for next season increased this week when Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo stated only Massa was confirmed for 2010.

And while Domenicali conceded there had been developments this week on the subject, he refused to be drawn on exactly what progress has been made.

"I think what I can say is repeat what our president said," he added.

"In the last couple of days the situation has changed, so we will keep you updated as soon as we can say something. At the moment there is nothing to add on that."




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CIRCUIT NOT VERY SAFE - HAMILTON

Lewis Hamilton has expressed his disappointment with the changes made to the Singapore Grand Prix track, fearing some modifications could increase the chances of a crash.

Organisers have made a number of minor alterations to the Marina Bay street circuit, with some corners modified to improve overtaking while a better road surface has been installed in certain areas to remove bumps.

The tricky turn 10 has also undergone a slight tweak in a bid to make it slower with the second and third apexes moved left and right respectively.

But Hamilton, who struggled for pace during both practice sessions, was disappointed with the improvements, insisting it remains as bumpy as it was in the inaugural night race last year.

"It is still very bad," said the McLaren driver. "I don't think there is a big change at all. I think we all feel it."

Hamilton was particularly aggrieved with the changes at turn 10 and fears the modifications made could actually increase the chances of crashes.

"It is a lot worse than last year (at turn 10)," he added. "Last year it was a weird little corner but it was actually good, it was a quick left-right-left but now it is big fat curves and there is no run off and I'm sure in a race someone will crash there.

"If someone was to blow a tyre and have an over-steer moment, slide and hit one of those kerbs they would fly. It is not very safe I personally don't think.

"I am sure that the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers' Association) will probably at the end of this week have comments on this circuit which hopefully will aid the FIA for improving next year."

Formula One will be hoping for an incident-free race this weekend as it looks to move on from the 2008 Singapore race-fixing controversy.

Hamilton refused to be drawn on what action should be taken to prevent such incidents happening again, but stressed the best thing he and his fellow drivers can do is to produce an exciting race on Sunday.

"That is something for the FIA and team principals to talk about," he added.

"For me, my input can be to try and contribute by putting on a good show and keeping the race exciting because that is what the fans love. I think that is the job for all of the drivers."



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HAMILTON SETS PACE IN SINGAPORE

Lewis Hamilton produced a dominant display ahead of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix as he topped the timesheet in final free practice.

The reigning world champion had produced indifferent performances in practice on Friday and earlier on Saturday complained about the bumpiness of the Marina Bay street circuit.

However, Hamilton's McLaren was sporting a new chassis after his team fixed an electrical problem overnight and he showed plenty of pace, spending the vast majority of the session at the top of the timesheet before claiming top spot for good with a time of one minute 47.632 seconds late in the session to edge Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel, hoping to keep alive his slim world championship hopes, had gone fastest in second free practice and again produced another impressive performance with a time of 1:47.909secs, just 0.277s slower than Hamilton.

Championship leader Jenson Button, however, could only manage the 14th fastest time in his Brawn GP and was 1.289 seconds slower than Hamilton with his time of 1:48.921.

Williams' Nico Rosberg, who finished second at the inaugural night race in Singapore last year, enjoyed a good session by going third fastest while McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen's confident displays in practice continued as he finished fourth with the BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld fifth and sixth fastest respectively.

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello, hoping to close the gap on team-mate Button at the top of the drivers' championship, was seventh while the Toyota's of Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli were eighth and 10th respectively with Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso sandwiched in-between.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was 12th fastest while Renault's Fernando Alonso, tipped to potentially replace the Finn next season, was unable to build on a promising second session on Friday as he was 15th fastest.



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BUTTON BEWILDERED BY 12TH PLACE

Jenson Button was at a loss to explain his disappointing performance in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix but has vowed to give his all in the race.

The Brawn GP driver had produced promising displays in practice on Friday and looked on the pace in Q1 as he set the second fastest time behind Lewis Hamilton, but it all fell apart in Q2 as the 29-year-old finished 12th.

The blow was softened only slightly by the fact that team-mate Rubens Barrichello - who trails Button by 14 points in the drivers' championship - qualified just two places ahead in 10th.

The poor performance of the Brawn duo gives Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel the chance to make up vital ground in the race for the world championship, however, as the German is 26 points behind Button and starts second on the grid alongside Hamilton on pole.

Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber also gave himself the opportunity to maintain his slim hopes of the world title by securing fourth on the grid.

"The Red Bulls are at the front and obviously they still have a chance to challenge us in the championship so we have made it difficult for ourselves," said Button.

"It has been a strange qualifying for us as we had very good pace all weekend and it is strange not to be quick.

"This is a circuit where we thought we would be very quick but in qualifying we have not shown that.

"All weekend we have been competitive and I felt very good in Q1 but then suddenly we were struggling a bit more in Q2.

"It is difficult to know the reasons for that but being back in 12th is disappointing.

"Rubens is just ahead of me because of his gearbox change. There is still a lot we can do tomorrow but it is frustrating to be so far back."

Barrichello qualified fifth but was dropped to 10th for changing his gearbox, although he remains optimistic.

"It was an eventful qualifying session for me today but I'm still feeling positive with starting from 10th position on the grid," he said.

"Considering everything that happened, I feel that it's a pretty good result."

Barrichello caused qualifying to be brought to a premature end when he crashed with 26 seconds remaining, causing the red flag to be waved.

That may have helped Hamilton to pole by possibly denying Vettel first place after the 22-year-old had set the fastest time in sector one.

"I was really going for it on my final run in Q3 and unfortunately the car bottomed out and I lost control and ended up bouncing off the wall," added Barrichello. "It's a shame but the car should be okay and we can look forward to the race."




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VETTEL KEEPS BUTTON ON HIS TOES

Sebastian Vettel has warned Formula One championship leader Jenson Button to expect the unexpected as the race for the world title took a surprise twist in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Vettel's hopes of claiming the championship appear slim with the German 26 points behind Button with four races remaining.

However, the 22-year-old did his aspirations no harm by securing a place at the front of the grid for Sundays night race after finishing second to reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Button, meanwhile, could only manage to qualify 12th after surprisingly failing to progress from Q2 while the Brawn GP driver's team-mate Rubens Barrichello - who trails the Briton by 14 points in the championship - is just two places ahead on the grid.

That gives Vettel the chance to make up ground on the pair tomorrow and while he refused to get too carried away just yet, he warned a lot can happen before the end of the season.

"Anything is still possible," he said.

"You can see how quickly it goes up and down, just looking at which team is sometimes at the front and how quickly you can be at the back again.

"It would be much nicer to be in Jenson's position right now in terms of the championship ranking, not today.

"We will see. It is a long race and as I say qualifying is very important, so it is good to be consistent and good to be always in the top 10 but you don't score any points on Saturday. You have to finish the race."

Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber also enjoyed a good qualifying session and the Australian will start from fourth on the grid.

And while Webber's hopes of winning the championship are slim at best, the 33-year-old is keen to reward his team with a good performance.

"My guys have been absolute superstars this weekend, putting the car back together after yesterday, in very tough working conditions for them here," he said.

"I have a lot of motivation to reward them."



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HAMILTON ON POLE; BUTTON STRUGGLES

Lewis Hamilton secured pole for Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix but there was disappointment for championship leader Jenson Button as his world title hopes were dealt a blow.

Hamilton, whose engineers worked through the night to fit a new chassis for his McLaren, impressed in practice earlier on Saturday and took that form into qualifying as he clocked a time of one minute 47.891 seconds in Q3 at the Marina Bay street circuit.

In contrast, Button had struggled in practice after his Brawn GP car had been switched to the same set-up as team-mate Rubens Barrichello earlier and though they reverted it to Friday's settings, the 29-year-old could only qualify in 12th place.

Barrichello, who will be looking to cut into Button's 14-point lead, was fifth fastest before crashing with 26 seconds of qualifying remaining but will start from 10th on the grid after being hit with a five-place grid penalty for changing his gearbox prior to the session.

The Brazilian's crash brought the qualifying session to a premature end as the red flag was waved.

Brawn GP's misfortune keeps alive Sebastian Vettel's championship hopes as the Red Bull driver will line up alongside Hamilton in second place on the grid.

Hamilton lavished praise on his team after claiming pole.

"I was not actually feeling particularly great in the car (before qualifying)," said the 24-year-old.

"I wasn't particularly happy with the balance of the car, it was quite bumpy and I wasn't happy.

"As always I tried to remain optimistic and we did some work overnight, the guys did a great job and we made the right steps with the set-up.

"We definitely did not expect to be on pole position but the pace we showed had been good in third practice and then again in Q1 and Q2.

"Friday wasn't spectacular and the team worked hard again to rebuild the car all night. I'm just very pleased to pay them back with pole."

Button said: "I said it is disastrous in a previous interview when I had got out of the car but that was emotion really.

"It's not perfect being back in 12th position and makes it very difficult to score good points here.

"It is difficult for Rubens as well. At least it is difficult for both of us."

The performance of the Brawns gives Vettel the chance to make ground on Button in the drivers' championship.

The German has looked impressive in the build-up to the race and his second place marks a return to the front row for the first time since the German Grand Prix in July.

"It's great to be back qualifying near the front, especially on a street circuit," he said.

"The car has been very good all weekend and I've been feeling comfortable.

"It's a long race and it will be tough, but we have all that it takes, so I'm looking forward to it."

Williams' Nico Rosberg, meanwhile, enjoyed his best qualifying performance this season as he secured third on the grid.

The German finished second in the inaugural night race in Singapore last year and he hopes the race could mark a promising run-in for the team.

"I am really pleased for the whole team," he said.

"We have made a small step towards a podium finish and who knows maybe we can even fight for a win now."



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WHITMARSH BACKS BUTTON

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh feels Jenson Button can now cruise to the Formula One world title after good fortune again smiled on the Briton under Singapore's lights.

Button heads to Japan this weekend knowing he can be crowned world champion if he finishes five points ahead of Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

With the way his luck is going, there is every chance the 29-year-old will become Britain's 10th F1 king at Suzuka, underlined by the events that unfolded around the Marina Bay street circuit.

After initially qualifying a miserable 12th, Button's first break came when nearest rival Barrichello was demoted from fifth to 10th when his car required a gearbox change.

Button was then promoted to 11th at the start after Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber was found to be underweight after qualifying, with the German relegated from seventh to the pit lane.

In the race, as Button drove steadily to fifth, those ahead of him suffered as Williams' Nico Rosberg incurred a drive-through penalty for crossing the white line upon exiting the pit lane.

Then Sebastian Vettel was also handed a drive-through for speeding in the pits, eventually finishing fourth when second was in the offing.

Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber slid off the track with brake failure, whilst Barrichello suffered a further gearbox issue when it slipped into neutral at his second stop.

The latter enabled Button to leapfrog his team-mate and claim four precious points, with Barrichello a place and three seconds behind.

With three races remaining, Button now has a 15-point lead, and is limping his way towards the finish line rather than grabbing the title in a blaze of glory.

"It is not the most exciting way to win the championship, but I think you have to score the points," Whitmarsh said.

"Jenson is under a lot of pressure, and when you have not won a world championship there is enormous pressure there, especially if it is your team-mate who is challenging you.

"I think he did a solid job here and one has to say, I don't think it is mathematically done yet, but it looks like he has got the championship, which is a fantastic achievement."

Whitmarsh, though, can recall only too painfully what happened to Lewis Hamilton in 2007 when he led by 17 points with two races to go, yet still missed out.

"I am sure he (Button) will go away from this event feeling more relaxed, but he will still have some tension," added Whitmarsh.

"It's very easy to crash out at the next event with Rubens winning, which will be a 10-point swing - and we've been there, the last two seasons have been like that for us.

"He just has to stay calm, and if he does not make any mistakes he will win, but that in itself brings tension to you."

After Button's flying start to the campaign when he won six of the first seven races, Whitmarsh feels he has "wavered a little" since, finishing on the podium just once in the last eight grands prix.

Whitmarsh, though, appreciates pressure has played a part as he said: "He has been around some time, he is a very smooth driver, an intelligent driver.

"All he had to do was keep his head and he was going to win the championship given the start he had.

"With a championship, particularly for someone like Jenson who has been around a long time and may feel this is his one opportunity in his life to fulfil his childhood ambition, that is enormous pressure.

"But I am pleased for him. It will be great for him to relax, and I am sure he can cruise to the championship win."


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BRAWN DUO HAVE 'HONEST' RELATIONSHIP

Ross Brawn is adamant the relationship between Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello has not been damaged by the fact the two Brawn GP drivers are battling each other for the world championship.

After Button's superb start to the season in which he won six of the first seven races, the 29-year-old has struggled for form since, making just one appearance on the podium at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month.

Barrichello, meanwhile, had been the in-form Brawn driver in the build up to yesterday's Singapore Grand Prix, with two wins from the three previous races.

After a poor qualifying performance, Button recovered yesterday to claim fifth place while Barrichello finished one position behind in sixth.

That means Button increased his lead in the championship to 15 points with just three races remaining this season.

There have been suggestions that the fact the two are battling so close for the world title could lead to one withholding information from the other.

But team principal Brawn stressed that no such tactics are taking place and both drivers enjoy an honest and open relationship with each other.

"I can assure you the information is all there on the data screens and each engineer is free to look at the other driver's data," he said.

"I don't think the drivers ever tell each other the nuances of how they brake or steer into a corner. I have never seen that happen before, and I am sure I will never see it happen again.

"You don't get the apprentice and master style approach, but this is as good as I've ever seen it in terms of two drivers trying to beat each other in a championship. They are very open and very honest with each other.

"There is no pressure from outside the team and we just want to do things as openly and as fairly as we can.

"Something may happen where one driver gets upset with the other, or gets upset with the team, and we cannot predict that. All we can do is be as straightforward as we can."

Meanwhile, Brawn stressed the outcome of the championship would not influence his decision on who drives for his team in 2010, adding that a decision will not be made until after the season has finished.

"We've got this championship going on at the moment and discussions are going on, but nothing will be announced until much later," he said.



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