After an exciting Azerbaijan GP, we are now heading to the Singapore Grand Prix – another potentially exciting race. In the past, the streets of Singapore have delivered some of the best races of the season. This is due to its unique layout and the demanding nature of the track.
The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most exciting and unique races in Formula 1. Held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, it became the sport’s first night race in 2008. The event lights up the streets of Singapore against the stunning city skyline and drivers face a technical challenge as the circuit weaves through downtown streets with tight corners, narrow sections, and unforgiving barriers.
Singapore Grand Prix: Everything you need to know about the Marina Bay Circuit
Sebastian Vettel holds the record for the most wins at Marina Bay with five victories. Carlos Sainz won the most recent race in 2023. That year, the circuit underwent a major layout change. Turns 16-19 were removed, which made lap times faster and racing more exciting.
🚨 The Marina Bay Street Circuit will be updated from 2023 due to the redevelopment of The Float at Marina Bay into “NS Square”. The #F1 #SingaporeGP track will be reduced to 4.928km with Turns 16 to 19 re-aligned into a straight. More info at https://t.co/b54sENWDYu pic.twitter.com/YUpqwL6MFg
— SingaporeGP (@F1NightRace) October 19, 2022
Another fun fact is that Max Verstappen has never won the Singapore GP throughout his career. Even in 2023, where he won 19 out of the 22 races that were held, Sainz won the Singapore GP. Looking at the current form of the teams and drivers, it doesn’t look like Max will win this year either. But it is the Singapore GP. Anything can happen.
One of Singapore GP’s most controversial moments – Crashgate
One of the most controversial moments in the race’s history is the 2008 “Crashgate” scandal. Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed his car on orders from the team, which allowed Fernando Alonso to claim an unexpected victory. This scandal rocked the sport and became a notorious chapter in the history of the Singapore GP.
Crashgate was leaked to the public by Nelson Piquet Jr. who talked about it in an interview after he was kicked out of the team. After this, Formula 1 was forced to suspend the Renault team from taking part in the Championship. They later came back to the Championship after their suspension ended.
The build-up to the Singapore Grand Prix
This season remains unpredictable, and the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix promises another spectacle. With drivers like Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris closing the gap to Max Verstappen, the fight for victory will be intense. On a track with no room for error and the possibility of wet weather, the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix is shaping up to be an unmissable race.
IT’S RACE WEEK!!🤩
We head to Marina Bay Street Circuit this weekend for the Singapore Grand Prix 🇸🇬
With McLaren taking a 20-point lead over Red Bull in the WCC, the fight is officially on with 7 races to go💪#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/s4c0ovMHXb
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 16, 2024
The Singapore GP is known for pushing drivers to their physical limits. Intense humidity, a slow track, and the need for precision make it one of the most demanding races on the calendar. Every edition of the race has seen multiple safety car deployments, highlighting the difficulty and danger of the course. Since the inaugural race, no Singapore GP has run without the appearance of the safety car.
We are heading into the Singapore GP after a thrilling Azerbaijan GP where McLaren took the lead in the Constructors’ Championship. It is going to be interesting to see if the streets of Singapore can live up to what Baku just provided us with last weekend.
Who do you think will win the Singapore GP this year? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
