Formula 1's night race is 2 metres shorter this year, as an alteration has had to be made between turns 16 & 17, whilst resurfacing work has also been carried out around Turn 1, between Turns 5 and 7, Turns 15 and 17, and around Turn 23.
There are two DRS zones, the first detection point will be at the exit of Turn Four and the first activation point will be 53m after Turn Five. The second detection point will be 180m before the apex of Turn 22 and the activation point will be 48m after apex of Turn 23.
This weekends race stewards are:
DR GERD ENNSER
STEVE CHOPPING
DEREK WARWICK
Pirelli have opted for the Hypersoft (85-105 degrees) and Ultra Soft (90-110 degrees) at the bottom end of the range before jumping up to the Soft tyre (105-135 degrees).
This has led to some interesting tyre choices, as Ferrari go super aggressive, taking only one set of the Soft tyres into their allocation and nine of the Hypers. Meanwhile, Mercedes have been much conservative with three sets of the softs and only six of the Hypers.
So, what have the teams got to say about the challenge ahead?...
Toto Wolff, Mercedes AMG F1
"Singapore has features that we’ve struggled with in the past. The short straights, the slow, tight corners and the bumpy surface all make the Marina Bay Street Circuit one of the trickiest tracks of the season for us. On paper, the track should favour the Ferraris, but the Championship fight is so close that predictions are almost meaningless."Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing
"I really enjoy Singapore, the track has a lot of corners and is quite bumpy, but it makes it all the more interesting to find a good set-up for the car. The night race and hot temperatures really test you to the limit, for me Singapore is physically the hardest race of the season. I have been preparing for quite a while."Cyril Abiteboul, Renault Sport F1
"We are looking forward to Singapore, a track we believe should suit our package. You can never tell what the competition is going to do, but we know we have another few updates coming that should further enhance our performance for this race and also going forward."Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 team
Fernando Alonso, McLaren"Mentally, it’s very difficult, as much as it is physical. It’s clearly one of the races where you need to be at your fittest in the season."
Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso"The field is becoming very competitive as we progress through the season so we know we need to work hard to maintain the pace of development compared to our competitors. I’m looking forward to racing under the lights in Singapore and it’s always a fantastic weekend of racing for the fans."
"We knew the last two races in Spa and Monza were going to be complicated but, on paper, Singapore should suit our car a bit better. I'm looking forward to seeing how we go. I've been training for the heat, wearing lots of clothes and sweating a lot, making sure I felt much too hot and I will be doing that sort of training right up until the weekend, as well as spending time in the sauna."Otmar Szafnauer, Force India
“I think Singapore is another opportunity to build on this momentum and keep scoring points. Traditionally we have always gone well there and both drivers enjoy street circuits. We have more performance to bring to the car this weekend with an updated aero package."Charles LeClerc, Sauber F1 team
Paddy Lowe, Williams Racing"The circuit in Singapore will be completely new to me. I have done some simulator work on the track, but it will be a special experience to drive there in real life. It will also be my first real night race, which is exciting. I look forward to that very much. It is one of the most renowned and popular Grands Prix on the calendar, and it will be a pleasure to meet the fans there. The track looks interesting, and the city vibrant – I can’t wait for this race weekend to begin."
"The circuit requires high downforce and good mechanical grip, and is tough on the cars, team members and drivers. Mentally it is one of the toughest races for the drivers as well, with very little opportunity to relax over the course of a lap, combined with the heat and humidity they must contend with, even once the sun has set."
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