Recapping all oℱf the added news and notes🐓 in Singapore on Thursday, wuqian0821.com F1 Digital Editor Luke Smith brings you his paddock notebook.

- Fernando Alonso continues to nurse an injury to his right hand sustained during the start-line crash at Spa at the end of August. Alonso had strapping applied to his right♉ hand on Thursday, but said it had no bearing on him racing, only getting in the way of day-to-day tasks such as brushing his teeth. “I thought that it could be OK by now, but it’s more or less at the same level of pain,” Alonso said. “It’s strange. Probably next week I will do some further checks.”

- Since Monza, Alonso has also taken part in an IndyCar test, but the Spaniard st𒐪ressed it would have no bearing on deciding his racing plans for next year. Alonso added that it is unlikely he will test an Indy car again before the end of the yea𒈔r due to his busy schedule that will see him combine the final seven F1 races with two additional WEC rounds.

- Kimi Raikkonen was on🍷 form during Thursday’s FIA press conference, batting back questions about his move to Sauber. The Finn joked that he decided to continue in F1 as he was “I'm just playing head games with you guys [the media], deciding to sign for two years and not be hap✤py” when questioned about his passion for racing.

- Raikkonen did however confirm that he was told over the Monza race weekend that he would not be racing for Ferrari next year, while Charles Leclerc learned of his promotion from team principal Maurizio Arrivab🎀ene last Saturday before coming to Singapore.

- Raikkonen denied reports suggesting his Sauber deal had included a possible management role or a stake in the team, with talks with the Swiss marܫque starting at Monza when his exit from Ferrari was confirmed. Raikkonen confirmed he expects Sauber to be his last team in F1, bookending his career after starting with the team in 2001.

- The other driver confirmed to be on the move for 2018 since Monza, Stoffel Vandoorne, confirmed that he is exploring options both inside and outside of F1. Vandoorne said he was yet to receive a clear explanation 𓃲from McLaren as to why he had been jettisoned, and called Zak Brown’s comments about wanting Toro Rosso to sign him “strange” given his decision to drop him.

- Esteban Ocon spoke the most openly he has this se♏ason about his current plight as he continues to look for a seat, admitting that there was less and less chance of him landing an F1 drive for 2019. Ocon said he had not considered cutting ties with Mercedes to land a seat, but was also yet to consider any options outside of F1.

- When asked if he felt let down by Renault - the team he was all set to join prior to Daniel Ricciardo’s shock move - Ocon said: “I’m not goin𒁃g to comment on this.” He was also coy when asked if he’d turned🎶 down the chance to join McLaren in favour of Renault back in July.

- The most likely course of action for Ocon now appears to be a year in𒉰 a reserve role at Mercedes before trying to return to F1 for 2020. Williams🥃 is the only team with a free seat that would realistically take Ocon, but it may seek a second driver with backing to replace the Force India-bound Lance Stroll.

- Sergio Perez reiterated that his racing plans forಞ 2019 were all sewn up, with an announcement a “matter of days or weeks”. Perez also said the decision wa🍬s made prior to McLaren showing an interest in him, but when asked if the team always seemed set on promoting Lando Norris, the Mexican said: “Not in the beginning, no.”

- Force India has brought a sizeable upgrade package to Singapore, The team has been able to accelerate updates since its takeover by the Lawrence Stroll-led consortium and exit from administration. However, the team was always planning to introduce the updates on the Marina Bay weekend, according to Perওez.

- Brendon Hartley said in thཧe press conference he is yet to really discuss future plans with Toro Rosso as he instead focuses on turning🌼 his own form around, and elaborated on his hopes for the future in an interview with wuqian0821.com on Thursday night.

- However, it is understood that a driver announcement from Toro Rosso for 2💖019 could be imminent, potentially coming this weekend in S𒈔ingapore.

- Red Bull and Toro Rosso reserve driver Sebastie෴n Buemi was in the paddock on Thursday in Singapore, wearing Red Bull gear. Buemi underwent a seat fitting in the Toro Rosso STR13 earlier this month, fanning flames suggesting he could mak🌠e an F1 return in the future.

- The FIA issued a track map on Wednesday confirming the layout is two metres shorter this year, coming as a result of track realignments around Turn 16 and Turn 17. The track has also been resurfaced at Turn 1, Turn 5 to Turn 7, Turn 15 to Turn 17 and Turn ꧅23.

- FIA race director Charlie Whiting also confirmed in the race notes that any driver who runs wide at Turn 2 must return to the track afte♐r sticking to the right of an orange bollard at exit, in order to try and prevent an advantage being gained, and rejoin on the outside of Turn 3.

- One of the most noticeable changes to the paddock in Singapore was the introduction of new two-tier structures as the teams’ hospitality units for the weekend, givinꩲg them more space to host guests and the media.

- ൲There is also a new hospitality space called ‘Twenty3’ overlooking Turn 23 at the track this year, featuring a number of restaurants and bars that will entertain VIPs across the course of the race weekend.