San Francisco Frontiers - Gloves off, Red run, vested interests: Singapore GP talking points

AFP highlights three talking points from Sunday's night race, one of the most physically brutal tests of man and machine on the motor racing calendar:

- Gloves off for Piastri, Norris -

With the constructors' championship safely tucked away for a second successive season, the question now is: will McLaren let the gloves come off in a head-to-head fight for the drivers' title?

If the start of the Singapore GP was anything to go by, the battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris over the last six races could be very spicy.

Norris forced his way past Piastri into third place, barging his teammate out of the way in a wheel-to-wheel flashpoint.

After his crash in Baku two weeks ago and a petulant "it's not fair" outburst on Sunday, Piastri's uber-cool persona from earlier the season is fading fast.

Norris has reduced the deficit on the Australian to 22 points as they head to Austin in two weeks -- but more importantly he seems to have taken the psychological high ground.

It leaves McLaren team principal Andrea Stella with work to do to calm a fuming Piastri, who was notably absent from the team's podium title celebrations.

"We will have good conversations," Stella told reporters. "We'll come back stronger and even more united.

"There's a lot at stake. That's not only the championship points, but it's also the trust of our drivers."

- Verstappen turns up heat -

Any slip-ups from the feuding McLaren pair at the top of the drivers' championship are likely to be pounced upon by a resurgent Max Verstappen.

The McLarens finished behind the Red Bull of the four-time world champion for the third successive race.

Verstappen won in Monza and Baku, while his second place in Singapore behind race-winner Russell has cut his gap with Piastri to 63 points and with Norris to 41, with 174 points still up for grabs.

Should the McLarens clash again and, worse, fail to finish a race, the Red Bull in their mirrors will loom even larger.

"I think over the last few races we've definitely improved a lot," said Verstappen, who warned: "Hopefully next weekend we can do a little bit better."

- Jury out on vests -

The race in sweaty Singapore was declared the first official Formula One "Heat Hazard" under new rules to keep drivers cool in sauna-like cockpits that can reach 60C.

Cooling vests could be worn by drivers and cars had to be fitted with equipment to make them work.

Wearing the vests is currently optional, but governing body FIA is considering making it mandatory from next season -- something that hasn't gone down well with most drivers.

Verstappen was adamant he would not be donning the vest any time soon.

"I haven't used the vest and I'm not intending to use it, because I feel like this needs to be a driver's choice," he said.

Carlos Sainz of Williams, who is the chairman of the drivers' association, said: "I'm happy not to make it mandatory. I agree with the guys that don't want to use it.

"If they don't want to because they feel really uncomfortable then don't use it."

Seven-time former champion Lewis Hamilton said a mandate would be "silly".

"They keep saying it's a safety issue, but there's no driver that's ever died from overheating during the race," said the Ferrari driver.

"It's like, it's just getting silly. That should be our choice."

Russell wore the vest as he won the race, but had reservations. "It isn't the perfect solution yet," said the Englishman.

L.Lopez--SFF