The Components 1 paddock heads to the Marina Bay Avenue Circuit this weekend for Spherical 18 on the calendar, the Singapore Grand Prix.
Free Apply 1 and Free Apply 2 will happen on Friday, October 3, adopted by Free Apply 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, October 4, and the Grand Prix itself on Sunday, October 5.
Important statistics
- First Grand Prix – 2008
- Monitor Size – 4.940km
- Lap report – 1m 34.486s, Daniel Ricciardo, RB, 2024
- Most pole positions – Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton (4)
- Most wins – Sebastian Vettel (5)
- Trivia – As a result of bodily calls for of the local weather and circuit, drivers can lose as a lot as 3kg in physique weight over the course of a race in Singapore
- Pole run to Flip 1 braking level – 178 metres
- Overtakes accomplished in 2024 – 62
- Security Automobile chance – 83%*
- Digital Security Automobile chance – 33%*
- Pit cease time loss – 29.1 seconds
*From the final six races in Singapore
The motive force’s verdict
Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: Marina Bay is a protracted, complicated circuit, and draining as effectively – somewhat bit like Monaco – with loads of bumps. It’s all in regards to the low-speed and having first rate turn-in with out dropping the rear or struggling snaps of oversteer.
There are nonetheless 19 corners after the removing of the Turns 16-19 part, which has turn into a protracted straight, and in direction of the tip of the lap you’re beginning to fear about your rear tyres overheating, significantly should you’ve not been sort to them earlier on.
Braking is especially difficult at Flip 7, the place it’s simple to run huge. The newer Singapore Sling by means of Turns 10 and 11 can also be a type of ones that may lure you into going too deep, typically catching drivers out.
Coming over the bridge, the place you brake to the proper after which flip to the left, induces lock-ups, whereas plenty of traction occasions imply you’re spiking rear tyre temperatures – and there’s an emphasis on rear grip right here.
An enormous quantity of focus is required for this circuit and Grand Prix. You may lose a number of kilos of liquid throughout the race, so hydration is the order of the day. Monaco is perhaps the one venue with a slower common pace, however Singapore might be an absolute slog.
Tyre and technique perception
“On this race, thermal stress is the primary explanation for tyre efficiency degradation,” reads Pirelli’s weekend preview.
“Medium and onerous will clearly be the compounds of alternative for the race, however the comfortable might come into play for any driver eager to profit from its additional grip at the beginning, or if there’s a Security Automobile interval in direction of the tip of the race.
“Modifications made to the monitor structure a few years in the past imply overtaking is a bit simpler, though clearly, it’s nonetheless reasonably difficult to get previous one other automotive.
“Subsequently, with the ability to name on the massive efficiency distinction between comparatively new softs and mediums or hards which have executed many laps, might be an element to keep in mind.”
Present type
The Drivers’ title combat has taken an fascinating flip throughout the final two race weekends, with Max Verstappen’s run of back-to-back victories seeing him shut the hole to championship chief Oscar Piastri all the way down to 69 factors with seven rounds remaining.
Whereas the reigning World Champion has admitted that this margin continues to be “a lot”, McLaren boss Andrea Stella has acknowledged that Verstappen is “definitely” in contention for the crown – and that Piastri and group mate Lando Norris “can’t afford errors”.
Talking of which, Piastri will probably be eager to bounce again in Singapore after a uncommon mistake in Baku noticed him crash out on Lap 1, whereas Norris arrives into the occasion as the newest winner on the Marina Bay Avenue Circuit, having transformed pole place eventually yr’s race right into a win.
Can the pair maintain off the problem from Verstappen this trip? The weekend might additionally see McLaren safe the Teams’ Championship, with solely Mercedes and Ferrari nonetheless mathematically in with an opportunity of stopping the Woking-based outfit from doing so.
Behind the highest 4 groups, Williams strengthened their maintain on fifth place within the standings because of Carlos Sainz’s podium in Azerbaijan. The midfield scrap round them stays extremely shut, nevertheless, with Racing Bulls at the moment holding P6 after Baku introduced a powerful double top-10 end for Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar.
With the Marina Bay Avenue Circuit identified for its demanding nature, a excessive degree of focus is required from the drivers – that means that useful factors might be up for grabs ought to anyone forward slip up.
Iconic second
Many a memorable second has performed out underneath the lights of the Marina Bay Avenue Circuit because it arrived on the F1 calendar again in 2008, however on this event we’re taking a brief journey again to 2019 to relive the ultimate victory of Sebastian Vettel’s record-breaking run on the circuit – which additionally proved to be his final win in Components 1.
The four-time World Champion had arrived into the weekend off the again of a disappointing efficiency on the Italian Grand Prix, the place a spin noticed him cross the road down in P13 whereas Ferrari group mate Charles Leclerc was victorious.
Leclerc once more appeared just like the favorite in Singapore after clinching pole place, however an early pit cease allowed Vettel to undercut the Monegasque – in addition to the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton – and put himself into the lead, a place he held by means of three Security Automobiles en path to the chequered flag.
It was an emotional and long-awaited go to to the highest step of the rostrum for Vettel, marking his first win of the season and including to his spectacular tally of 5 victories on the monitor, greater than another driver.
Relive how Vettel’s race-winning technique performed out within the video beneath.
