Singapore (AFP)

After two rounds conceded to Ferrari, Mercedes can hope to regain success at the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix this weekend, if the pollution due to forest fires in neighboring Indonesia allows.

For the first time in more than three years in the city-state, the quality of the air is considered "harmful to health" by the National Agency of the environment.

The program is currently not affected but the organizers of the fifteenth round (on 21) of the season ensure that "alternative measures" are planned to limit the impact of fumes.

Spectators will be able to buy protective masks and medical assistance is planned, announces the tourist office.

In normal times, the physical challenge is immense for pilots facing heat and humidity for nearly two hours of racing. Polluted air will still bring some difficulty this year.

Although the Silver Arrows are the most successful single-seaters in Singapore (with four wins in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018), "for a long time, this route was one of our weak points," moderates boss Toto Wolff, as often careful.

- Hamilton "magic" in 2018 -

"But we made good progress and we did very well last year," he recalls. It's hard to forget Lewis Hamilton's "magic" performance in qualifying, which saw him break the track record and pole the year before by no less than three seconds before winning the race.

The Mercedes Briton has in his sights a third consecutive victory in the event, his fifth since the first edition in 2008 and his ninth this season.

With a lead of 63 points in the Drivers' standings over Finnish team-mate Valtteri Bottas, the five-time world champion looks set for a sixth world title. Faithful to his habits, he will want to conquer it in the most dominant way possible.

However, it is two races that Hamilton stumbles on the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who won a week apart, in Belgium and Italy, his first two successes in F1.

On the tortuous and narrow circuit of Marina Bay, where pilots compete at night, the story should not be the same ...

"The Red Bulls have been particularly fast here year after year and we think they will be very fast, anticipates Hamilton, but I do not know at all, how will the Ferrari be." (...) As for us, we We have not always been very successful in recent years but we still had good results thanks to the circumstances, so I hope we will do well. "

- "Not encouraging" for Ferrari -

Favored by its engine power in the straight lines of Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, the Scuderia should indeed be less successful in the slow corners of Singapore, which highlight the more agile cars, like Mercedes and Red Bull.

"On paper, it does not look that good for us," admits Leclerc, "The weekend should be more difficult, but we'll do everything to bring a good result."

Fourth in the championship, the Monegasque, new darling of F1, now exceeds by thirteen lengths his German teammate Sebastian Vettel and only points to three units in third place Max Verstappen.

But in the former British colony, the Dutch, who has a revenge to take after two complicated weekends (abandoned following a collision in Belgium, eighth place in Italy, where he was penalized on the grid), has for him the statistics.

He remains on the first two lines and a second place and his team Red Bull holds the record of podiums (twelve, including three successes). So it seems to him best placed to worry Hamilton and Mercedes.

Vettel, meanwhile, must try to rebalance the balance after a spin and a thirteenth place in Monza that seemed to confirm the takeover of Leclerc at Ferrari. Even if the young wolf conceded Thursday that "in the end, it is always better to play for the team".

© 2019 AFP