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Tyres NorthamptonHowever, any similarities of this street circuit doubleheader end there, with Singapore always being one of the most physically challenging races on the F1 calendar.
Long races, Safety Car appearances, and sauna-like conditions are staples of a Singapore GP. The race sometimes runs to the two-hour limit rather than the lap counter, usually because of carnage. F1's 14 previous trips to the city-state have seen 24 incidents or crashes requiring a Safety Car slowdown. With cockpit temperatures capable of reaching sauna-like figures under the night sky, there's no race quite like Singapore.
Last year's event was the single race that Red Bull did not win. With the 2024 season already unravelling for the reigning champions, they won't be looking forward to Sunday. This track hasn't treated them kindly, and they have just one victory around the Marina Bay Street Circuit in the past ten years. Max Verstappen is slowly losing ground in the championship fight. A poor performance here could lower his chance of clinching a fourth title.
The benefit for Verstappen is how much scrapping his nearest competitors are doing among themselves. Charles Leclerc won in Italy, and Oscar Piastri won in Azerbaijan. Each has hindered P2-placed Lando Norris' hopes of reducing the gap to the top of the standings. The Briton has faced bad luck, poor strategy, and Lap 1 struggles and is 59 points behind the lead. He did, however, finish a stellar second place in Singapore last year in a worse car, so will hope to go one better in 2024.
Layout changes to the track in 2023 removed four corners in the final sector and significantly reduced the lap time. These remain for 2024, too, but the speeds will increase further after an extra DRS zone's inclusion. This addition between Turn 14 and Turn 16 will see Singapore join Australia as the circuit with the most DRS zones of any F1 track. Overtaking improved at Melbourne this year. Might we see more wheel-to-wheel action on Sunday?
As you might expect from a street circuit, Pirelli has the three softest compounds. The teams had the C3, C4, and C5 options in Baku, too, and the long-lasting tyres saw some drivers racing for nearly the entire race on one set of rubber. Higher temperatures should mean a long stint length is not as easy in Singapore, but some resurfacing work completed before F1's arrival might help.
Waiting for a Safety Car before stopping in Singapore is usually a viable strategy with the race having a 100% appearance rate. Yet there are two things the teams must consider when swapping Pirelli tyres here. The pit lane speed limit has been reduced to 60 km/h, meaning trips to the pits will take longer. Also, there hasn't been a Safety Car for eight consecutive races, with the drivers on their best behaviour this year.
For all of Verstappen's dominance in recent years, the Dutch driver has never won a Singapore GP. Judging by his post-summer lack of pace, that's unlikely to change in 2024. Red Bull has even gone as far as cancelling their one-off livery plans to help reduce weight as they try to find every slight benefit to speed up their ailing car. You can never count the Milton Keynes team out, but the odds are not in their favour.
McLaren and Ferrari are in the ascendency, however. After Oscar Piastri's triumph in the Azerbaijan GP, McLaren leads the World Constructors' Championship. Yet Ferrari looks like they have found the pace to fight at the front by winning their home race in Italy, scoring pole position in Baku, and battling with McLaren throughout both races. It's a finely balanced contest, and you can make a strong case for any of the four drivers in the two teams to stand above the P1 label on the podium after the race.
Although a win is unlikely for those in the midfield, there should be a shoutout for the equally tight fight further back. Aston Martin, Haas, and Williams all showed their worth in Azerbaijan. Norris had to use a long overcut to overtake Alex Albon in Baku, while Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton had his work cut out trying to pass these teams' drivers after his pit lane start. Formula One has never been tighter.
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F1's original night race sees early afternoon action for the British audience. The Singapore GP starts at 1 PM on Sunday, and Qualifying will begin at 2 PM on Saturday.
Qualifying – On air: 1:15 PM, Session start: 2 PM Saturday 21st September
Race – On air: 11:30 AM, Session start: 1 PM Sunday 22nd September
Qualifying – Highlights: 6:55 PM Saturday 21st September
Race – Highlights: 5:30 PM Sunday 22nd September
Qualifying/Race – It will be typically hot in this city 89 miles from the equator, and temperatures will be around 28°C-31°C when the cars hit the track. Rain is an everpresent threat around Singapore, but only two races since 2008 have required Pirelli's grooved options.