There have been two iterations of the Singapore Grand Prix. Between 1961 and ’73 the race was held for Formula Libre cars on the Thomson Road circuit, in a northern suburb of the city-state. The Marina Bay circuit has more of a downtown location and has hosted a world championship grand prix every year since 2008.
What makes it unique The entire event. This is the original F1 night race; it starts at 20:00 local time, two hours after sunset, and the cars look spectacular under the glare of the 1,500 lamps that line the circuit.Grip levels Low. The asphalt is slippery and the average speed – just 170km/h (106mph) – is the second-slowest of the year.
Run-off Good. For a street circuit, there is plenty of run-off. In the places where the cars are at their fastest – into Turns One and Seven – there is ample room between the track and the barrier.
Watch out for… Turn 21. It’s a fairly non-descript left-hander, but it’s vitally important. Turns 22 and 23 are taken flat-out, so exit speed from Turn 21 determines a car’s pace along the pit straight, where the first DRS zone is located.The drivers on: the circuit
Fernando Alonso
“We knew Spa and Monza would be among the two most difficult races on the calendar for us. Now we move to the end-of-season fly-aways and we’re optimistic that we can continue pushing for more points and more positive results. Singapore is a really fun track, very bumpy and challenging, but it’s a quirky layout with a lot of stop-start sections and really fast straights, so you need a car that works well in high downforce set-up and has good traction out of the slower corners. I’ve won there twice before, and the floodlights and energetic fans give it a really exciting atmosphere.”
Jenson Button
“The Marina Bay circuit is a challenge unlike any other that we face during the season – even when you compare it to the other street races on the calendar. It’s twisty, extremely fast, the barriers are high and close, and the bumpy surface is unforgiving, which sometimes means losing grip is something you can’t get away with, without seeing flying debris all over the track and the possibility of a Safety Car. That’s part of what makes racing in Singapore so special, and its characteristics pose a tough test for even the strongest chassis and power unit. It’s gruelling for car and driver, but that’s what makes it all the more rewarding to drive.”
tart time 20:00hrs local/13:00hrs BST
Race distance 61 laps (full world championship points will be awarded after 75 per cent distance/45 laps)
Safety Car likelihood High. There has been at least one Safety Car period in every Singapore Grand Prix
When to press record The start. The novelty of seeing 22 F1 cars racing at night never wanes, and the left-right flick at Turns One and Two usually throws up some controversy on the opening lap
Don’t put the kettle on…The top seven cars made two pitstops last year. The first stops occurred from lap 10 onwards, with the second stops from lap 30. The appearance of the Utrasoft tyre this year could force shorter stints, with the possibility of a three-stop strategy more likely
Weather conditions NOW 30 degrees and stormy RACE FORECAST 29 degrees
Tyre choices Ultrasoft/Supersoft/Soft, a combination that has been used three times already this year: in Monaco, Canada and Austria
The drivers on: the event
#14 Fernando Alonso
“Singapore is a great race – it’s always an enjoyable weekend and definitely one of the halo races on the calendar each year. It’s a really long race – usually almost two hours – so a lot can happen. It’s tough on the cars too, especially with the current that runs underneath the asphalt near the Anderson Bridge towards Turn 13, which can play tricks on the electronics systems. It’s definitely a race of attrition, so I hope we can have a smooth weekend with good reliability, and work our way towards the front. Over the past few races, we’ve shown good consistency in our performances, so I’m optimistic that we can continue this form in Singapore.”
#22 Jenson Button
“Singapore is a tough race, so you have to be at your absolute peak physical fitness to not find it a struggle, especially in the heat. It’s an incredible venue and there’s a really special feeling all weekend. Knowing you’re working on European time while the rest of Singapore is running on local time makes it really unique – like racing in a parallel universe! Racing under floodlights never gets boring, and I hope I can have a weekend with less drama than at Monza.”
Hear from the management
Eric Boullier, McLaren-Honda Racing Director
“The combination of the stunning Marina Bay backdrop, state-of-the-art paddock facilities, unique circuit characteristics, and a vibrant atmosphere from the passionate fans, makes Singapore one of the most impressive spectacles on the Formula 1 calendar.
“As we begin the final set of fly-aways before the end of the season, we go to territories where we race at circuits that require a more technical car set-up, with less reliance on pure power. Despite spending the next few weeks far away from the UK, our development push is still ongoing and we’re still working hard on achieving performance improvements right up to the end of the season.”
“It’ll be interesting to see how the Ultrasoft tyre fares on the bumpy asphalt this street circuit is so famous for. Strategy will be an important factor in this year’s grand prix, especially given the unusually high likelihood of a Safety Car appearance. Although we weren’t in a points-paying position in Monza, we did see some promising performances throughout the weekend, so we’re hopeful of a greater chance to show what our package is truly capable of at the Singapore Grand Prix.”
Yusuke Hasegawa, Honda R&D Co Ltd Head of F1 Project & Executive Chief Engineer
“The Singapore night race is quite an amazing spectacle for everyone involved in F1, with the bustling city under the floodlights, great people and good food. The race, however beautiful, is long and physically draining for both the drivers and team, with high temperatures and humidity.
“The car set-up will need to change drastically to adjust the package from the fast-paced circuits of Spa and Monza, to Singapore’s twistier city circuit, so the team is already busy in preparation. Our car has good balance under braking, so the nature of the track should suit us more than the previous circuits.“Honda will work to match the driveability of the power unit to suit the needs of the stop-and-go nature of the circuit, so that our drivers’ skills can shine throughout the weekend. We hope to be in a good position to score points and have a good race.”
