Singapore Grand Prix: Times, stats, predictions

September 18, 2024 ndowd

Oscar Piastri‘s haul of points from winning last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw McLaren snatch the lead from Red Bull in the constuctors’ championship, and the Formula 1 season now makes its way to the humid climes of the Singapore Grand Prix.

McLaren have only won on Singapore’s streets once, when the country hosted its first race in 2008 with a then fresh-faced Lewis Hamilton ending the weekend atop the podium.

By comparison, Red Bull’s last win in the city state was in 2022 with Sergio Pérez.

The battle between the teams is tight, and with only seven races left in the season, neither Red Bull nor McLaren can afford to make many more mistakes. Max Verstappen is still well set in the in the drivers’ standings with a 59-point lead over Lando Norris, but his last win came at the Spanish GP on June 23.

The weather is set to be hot. Temperatures are forecast to reach highs of 31°C with humidity at 70% on average across the weekend. The mornings from Friday to Sunday could see scattered thunderstorms.

Verstappen said Lando Norris needs a “perfect” final seven races to beat him.

Singapore GP preview | Listen to the latest episode of ESPN’s F1 podcast Unlapped.

Circuit stats and history

Since hosting Formula 1’s first night race in 2008, Singapore has become a firm favourite among fans and drivers.

The 3-mile circuit carves through the centre of the city, illuminated by 1,600 lights to allow two of the three practice sessions to take place at sunset and qualifying and the race at night.

The circuit was tweaked in 2023 due to construction near the bay, creating a full-throttle run between Turns 14 and 16 and, new for 2024, the addition of a fourth DRS zone to aid overtaking.

Laps: 62 laps of 4.9km. Total distance 306km

Lap record: 1:35.867 Hamilton (2023)

Most wins: Sebastian Vettel with five (2011-2013, 2015, 2019). Of the current grid, Hamilton has four (2009, 2014, 2017-2018), and Fernando Alonso (2008, 2010), Carlos Sainz (2023), Perez (2022) have won here.

Most poles: Hamilton (2009, 2012, 2014, 2018) and Vettel (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) are tied on four. Of the current grid, Alonso (2010), Charles Leclerc (2019, 2022), Sainz (2023) have taken pole here.

What happened last year?

Singapore was the only race the dominant Red Bull team failed to win in 2023. Ferrari’s Sainz emerged victorious in a three-way fight with McLaren’s Norris and the Mercedes of George Russell.

Russell and teammate Hamilton, running third and fourth, looked like the fastest cars on track in the final stint, but Sainz allowed Norris to remain in DRS range so the McLaren driver could more easily defend from the Mercedes drivers.

The race ended with last-lap drama when Russell clipped the wall while trying to close in on Norris and crashed out of a podium finish.

Who’s going to win?

Much like Baku last weekend, the Singapore Grand Prix should be wide open. You could make cases for McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari being fastest on the street circuit, but after his difficulties in qualifying in Azerbaijan, ESPN is backing Norris to win.