Seen here at the Monaco Grand Prix, Brawn GP's Jenson Button and teammate Rubens Barrichello are said to be the front-runners at the Singapore Grand Prix. (Gerard Julien/AFP/Getty Images)
The Singapore Grand Prix is completely different from the past couple of Formula One race venues. After races at two classic F1 tracks - Spa (Belgium) and Monza (Italy) - the teams move to the streets of Singapore to race under the lights.
The track is a slow, high downforce track featuring tight corners and a bumpy surface, which includes manhole covers and all the other wonders of racing on public roads. Each car's cooling system and brakes will be heavily tested, as will the driver's ability to race at night. Night racing is not something these teams are used to, last year's race was the only time a Formula One race was ever held at night.
What this means is that the current favourites, Ferrari, McLaren and Brawn GP, may not have the best cars in Singapore. It's yet another twist to what has been a fascinating season, both on and off the track.
Here is a look at who is hot and who is not heading into Singapore.
McLaren: A remarkable turnaround by the defending champions at both Spa and Monza saw Lewis Hamilton returning to form. The car has loved the high-speed tracks and using the KERS system has given this team 80 extra horsepower. I predict another podium finish for the team.
Ferrari: Much like McLaren, Ferrari has returned to its competitive ways, with Kimi Raikkonen appearing to be interested in driving again. The car is good and is another of the KERS cars that is using the technology to their best advantage. The weakness is the car is not ideal for this circuit. I predict a top-five result for the rejuvenated Raikkonen.
BMW: The team has improved slightly over the past couple races, despite being down on power to the mighty Mercedes engines. This course suits Nick Heidfeld and the team is trying to get some wins before leaving the series. Chassis development continues so you will likely see BMW as high as second place this weekend.
Renault: Racing under a suspended ban until 2011 (only F1 could assess this penalty) without their team principle and chief engineer, you can't really expect much from poor Renault. They should linger mid-pack. The only good news here is that Fernando Alonso will have a new team and a new personal manager in the near future.
Toyota: If this was NASCAR these guys would get "the call" and win. This team needs something good to happen. The team has struggled despite having a generous budget and talented drivers, but its engine has been one of the least powerful on the circuit. This team remains an enigma and while they may qualify near the front, they will indeed finish near the back. No points for this struggling team.
Toro Rosso: Great chassis, Ferrari power, good drivers, yet no results. Sebastien Buemi has not lived up to his hype and the new kid, Jamie Alguersari, is still learning. No points, no hope, no sign of any kind of future success here. Hopefully they are way ahead on next year's chassis.
Red Bull Racing: Once very much in the title hunt, this team will be lucky to stay close to Brawn GP on the track and in the championship. The chassis is magnificent, but the Renault power is slower and less reliable than Mercedes. Team principle Dietrich Mateschitz has announced they are "out of the championship hunt" and is in line to get a Mercedes engine in 2010. I think this team is good enough for a top five, but will unlikely develop the car too much further.
Williams: Depending on Toyota power has hurt this team. The chassis is great and Nico Rosberg has matured to become a great driver. The past few tracks have not been kind to Williams, but a slower track might be just what the doctor ordered. I would expect so see Nico Rosberg qualify in the top three and go on to a solid top-five finish.
Force India: It will be interesting to see how this re-invigorated team does on this tight, bumpy circuit. The fastest team at Spa, and equally as impressive at Monza, they are the success story of the season. But now we will see how well they can develop their car to a tighter, slower circuit. I would love to see them in the top five, but they will be lucky to finish top eight and get some more valuable points.
Brawn GP: This team will be champion. Having won Monza pretty much assured that. The only question: which driver will it be? Early on, it looked early like Jenson Button was a shoo-in, but you can never count out a driver as talented as Rubens Barrichello. With Button taking his time in agreeing to a deal next season, Ross Brawn is hesitant to give one driver an advantage over the other. Great chassis and Mercedes power will keep these guys up front in Singapore. Give Brawn GP a one-two finish. You'll have to watch and see to discover which one will take the checkered flag.
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