#F1 Singapore Airlines #SingaporeGP 2024 Preview
Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2023 Race Start, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay, Singapore. Image credit to Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images. 2024 Singapore GP Preview, 2024 Formula 1 Singapore GP Preview, F1 Singapore GP Preview.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – After Oscar Piastri fended off a ruthless Charles Leclerc to take victory on the streets of Baku as McLaren overtook Red Bull in the Constructor’s Championship standings, round 18 of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the streets of Marina Bay in Singapore under the lights this weekend for the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024. This will be the fifteenth running of the Singapore Grand Prix as part of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – A look at the Marina Bay Street Circuit
The Marina Bay Street Circuit is a street circuit around Singapore’s Marina Bay in a harbour-side similar in style to the Circuit de Monaco (Monaco Grand Prix). The circuit is designed by KBR.inc, a modification of the original one first proposed by Hermann Tilke.
It is a twisty circuit that is the slowest in Formula 1 running at normal race distance above 305 kilometres (190 miles) which features walls leading to frequent safety cars, regularly nudging the race distance above two hours. The bumpiness, heavy braking zones, lack of daylight and humidity makes the 61-lap race very demanding for both man and machine. It has some 90-degree turns, but is pretty variable, featuring technical sections and quick direction changes. Overtaking is mostly done at the end of the first sector, where top speeds are at their highest. Runoff areas exist at the end of the long straights but are very short by Formula 1 standards. At most parts of the circuit, cars run very close to the walls.
The Marina Bay Street Circuit has undergone a couple of changes since being part of the Formula 1 Calendar since 2008 including a slight re-profiling of the circuit in 2009 where turns 1, 2 and 3 were modified to aid overtaking and also turn 10 (formerly Singapore Sling) where high kerbs caused many accidents. In 2013, a configuration change of the “Singapore Sling” turn 10 with a single apex left hand bend which has seen corner entry speeds up to 40km/h faster. This year it has undergone minor changes ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the modifications run from turn 11 to 13; drivers will still turn right at turn 11 but it will now kink to the left slightly on entry with the track shifting to the left-hand side of Fullerton Road. This will change the profile of turn 12, as drivers will now use the other side of Anderson Bridge while the turn 13 hairpin has been widened by a metre to increase overtaking opportunities.
Following a modification before this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, a long straight on Raffles Avenue replaces corners 16-19, bypassing the technical Float sequence. Previously turn 20, turn 16 is now a massive braking point, turning hard right before slinging back left for the 17th corner. How fast the cars approach turn 18 is determined by the turn 17 exit, therefore most of the drivers will exit turn 17 within millimetres to the wall to gain a speed advantage. The run down towards turn 18 passes the 165 metre (541 foot) tall Singapore Flyer, where turns 18 and 19 are taken flat-out at about 180 kph (110 miles per hour) before getting on the throttle again towards the main-straight across the start/finish line.
While in Monza the cars ran in a low downforce configuration, Singapore requires a high downforce configuration. The cars run at 46% full throttle over a lap and the circuit is one the least fuel-efficient races of the year due to its stop-start nature. Marina Bay is also very tough on brakes, with about a quarter of the lap spent braking and while wear is not a major difficulty, problems are caused by the temperatures the brakes reach due to a lack of opportunities for cooling.
The Marina Bay Street Circuit is 4.928km (3.062mi) in length with 19 corners and runs in an anti-clockwise direction.
Race distance is 308.706km (191.821mi) in length with 62 laps in total.
Sebastian Vettel holds the record for most victories at the Singapore Grand Prix with five to his name.
Scuderia Ferrari are the most successful constructor in Singapore with five victories to their name.
The fastest lap of the Marina Bay Street Circuit was set by Sir Lewis Hamilton at the 2023 event with a 1:35.867 in his Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team F1 W14.
Last season’s pole position lap time was set by Carlos Sainz in his Scuderia Ferrari SF-23 racer with a 1:30.984.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – The Last Five Winners
2023: Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari. 2022: Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing. 2021-20: Not Held. 2019: Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari. 2018: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – Tyres
Pirelli will be bringing with them to Marina Bay, the softest compounds in its range; the white-side walled P Zero C3 Hards, the yellow-branded P Zero C4 Mediums and the red-marked P Zero C5 Soft tyre along with the green-marked Intermediate and blue-branded full wet tyre in case of rain.
Drivers will have eight sets of the C5 softs, three sets of the C4 mediums and two sets of the C3 hards.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – DRS Zones
There will be three DRS Zones at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, the first detection point is turn four with the initial activation zone 48 metres after turn five. The second detection point is 102 metres before turn 13 with the second activation zone 78 metres after turn 13. The third detection point 105 metres after the apex of turn 17 with the third activation zone at the exit of turn 19.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – Pit-Lane Speed Limits
Pit-lane Speed Limits are 60km’s during practice, qualifying and the race.
ICYMI: Piastri fends off Leclerc to take victory at intense Azerbaijan GP
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri held-off a charging Charles Leclerc to take victory in a thrilling Azerbaijan GP, which ended under a virtual safety car after a crash on the penultimate tour between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez. Mercedes George Russell completed the top three.
The result sees McLaren jump Red Bull in the World Constructor’s Championship by 20 points and Norris closes in on Verstappen’s gap in the driver’s standings to 59 points.
When the 51-lap Azerbaijan GP began, pole-sitter Leclerc got a solid start into turn one as Perez suffers a lock-up into the same corner and managed to get by Sainz for third in the following turn.
Verstappen also picked off Russell into the second corner.
At the end of the opening tour, Leclerc’s lead was at 1.004 over Piastri with Perez third, Sainz fourth as Verstappen completed the top five.
Further down the pack, 17th-placed grid starter Lando Norris made a solid start and picked up two places then found another three to move up into turn by the beginning of the second lap. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also pitted after suffering a puncture and put on a set of hards.
Norris made short work of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda with DRS assistance and a solid slip-stream on main straight on lap three and overtook the Japanese driver around the outside into turn one to take 11th place.
DRS was enabled but race leader Leclerc could not drop Piastri with the latter keeping within the range of 0.792 seconds behind the Ferrari.
Replays showed the earlier incident with Tsunoda making contact with Stroll that caused the Canadian’s puncture as the RB driver squeezed the Aston Martin and the two tangled.
On the seventh lap, race leader Leclerc built his gap to Piastri up to 1.560 seconds with Perez a further 1.942 seconds off in third, Sainz holding fourth as championship leader Verstappen rounded out the top five runners.
Further back, 11th-placed Norris got within DRS range of Haas F1 Team’s Oliver Bearman and down the main-straight made the move down the inside of his fellow British-compatriot into the opening corner to jump into the points-paying position of tenth.
Russell reported “I just saw a plastic bag go in my air box,” worrying the Briton who was currently running in sixth.
Lap 10 saw Leclerc’s lead increased up to 2.965 seconds with Perez a further 1.160 off in third, Sainz fourth as Verstappen completed the top five.
Behind them Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg passed his team-mate Oliver Bearman with a pass on the main-straight and DRS assistance into turn one to move up into 11th place.
Meanwhile eighth-placed Franco Colapinto pitted for a fresh set of hards as Williams are pushing for an aggressive undercut strategy with the Argentine and emerged in 15th place behind Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton who started in the pits for power-unit component changes.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso reacted to Colapinto’s stop for his fresh set of hards and came out in-front of the Williams driver.
Championship leader Verstappen pitted from fifth place along with Russell for their sets of hards and 0rejoined in 10th and 12th respectively as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly split the duo.
Leclerc’s lead over Piastri continued to stretch with his gap up to 5.173 seconds over the McLaren driver.
On lap 14 with DRS assistance, Verstappen on the pit-straight made a move on his former team-mate Ricciardo into turn one to take tenth place.
Meanwhile, the Dutchman’s team-mate Perez stopped from third for his fresh set of hards and came out in sixth place behind Norris.
The 15th tour saw Leclerc’s lead at 6.025 seconds over Piastri with Sainz third, Albon fourth as Norris completed the top five runners.
Second-placed Piastri pitted on the following tour for his fresh set of hards meanwhile on-track Perez made his away ahead of the Australian’s team-mate into turn one. Crucially Piastri ended up back on track in-front of the Red Bull.
On the 17th lap, race leader Leclerc pitted for his fresh set of hards and came out behind his yet-to-pit team-mate Sainz.
Meanwhile, Albon was tucked right behind the Ferrari with both Piastri and Perez also in a four-car train.
Lap 18 saw Sainz come in for his fresh set of hards and re-joined in sixth place behind the yet-to-pit Norris.
Whilst the Spaniard stopped, Piastri on the main-straight crucially made his way ahead of Albon who is soon to stop and reclaimed second place.
In the fight for third, with DRS and fresher rubber, Perez flew in the slip-stream behind the Thai-Briton driver down the main-straight and made a move on the inside before turn one to snatch back third place.
In the battle for the lead with DRS assistance on the pit-straight, Piastri down the inside at turn one passed Leclerc. Leclerc tried to get by the McLaren on the back straight on the rundown to turn three, but the Australian managed to cover the Ferrari driver.
Once again, this time with DRS activated, Leclerc was tucked up right behind the McLaren, but Piastri covered the Monegasque driver to remain in the lead as Perez also came close into the fight for the lead.
Back out-front both Leclerc and Perez had DRS on each other as they got closer once more to race leader Piastri.
Meanwhile behind them Colapinto made his way into tenth place passing Gasly on the main-straight into turn one.
Leclerc got closer once again to Piastri with DRS on the main-straight, but the former managed to cover the Ferrari into the opening corner once more as behind them the other Ferrari of Sainz passed the yet-to-pit Norris for fifth place.
Piastri once again covered Leclerc into turn one as behind them, Sainz moved up into fourth place overtaking Albon.
Also a touch back, championship contenders Norris and Verstappen were battling hard as the latter ran into the run-off area at turn 15.
At half-race distance Piastri’s lead was at 0.751 seconds over Leclerc with Perez a further 1.096 seconds in third, Sainz fourth, Albon fifth, Norris sixth and Verstappen completing the top seven.
On lap 27, Leclerc had a look on Piastri, but still could not find a way through as further behind them Albon was still managing to keep both Norris and Verstappen at bay.
A tour later, Piastri still kept Leclerc behind meanwhile a bit further back, Russell was beginning to close in on the Albon, Norris and Verstappen train.
With DRS assistance, Leclerc was even closer this time, but still could not get ahead of the McLaren.
On the 30th lap, Piastri once again kept Leclerc at bay with the gap at 0.400 seconds with Perez keeping close to the top two, Sainz was a distant fourth as Albon, Norris, Verstappen and Russell rounded out the top seven.
With 20 tours remaining, Leclerc once again applied the pressure on the Australian having a look on the outside, but Piastri just had those extra tenths over the Ferrari to keep a-hold of first place.
Albon finally made his stop on lap 32 for his fresh set of the C4 mediums releasing Norris and Verstappen and emerged in 11th place behind Hulkenberg.
Out-front on lap 32, Piastri once more covered Leclerc into turn one and Perez was once gain brought back into play.
A tour later, the top three were all covered by 0.600 seconds of each other as further behind them, Russell made a move on the inside of Verstappen to jump into sixth place.
Leclerc was once again not close enough to make a move on race leader Piastri as behind them Hulkenberg managed to ahead of Colapinto as then the Argentine driver let his team-mate Albon through who was on fresher mediums through into tenth to fight with the Haas.
On the 38th tour Norris pitted from fifth for his fresh set of the C4 mediums and came out in seventh place behind Verstappen.
On the 39th lap, Leclerc once again had a look on Piastri, but the McLaren still kept the Monegasque driver at bay.
On the radio Leclerc reported that Piastri “was starting to struggle,” and his race engineer responded, “keep pushing.”
Piastri once again held off Leclerc into turn one and covered the Ferrari again into the second corner.
With ten tours remaining Leclerc continued to press the Australian, but race leader Piastri kept the Monegasque driver behind once more.
Once again, Piastri survived another lap holding the lead as Perez moved back into the fight for the victory.
Behind them, seventh-placed Norris was gaining over a second a lap on championship leader Verstappen.
Leclerc continued to apply the pressure on Piastri, but the Ferrari could still not get ahead of the McLaren.
Leclerc’s race engineer continued to encourage the Monegasque driver, Piastri, however was beginning to slide on his tyres as Sainz caught up to the front four to make it a fatal-four-way.
A lap later, Piastri dropped Leclerc to 1.7 seconds as the Ferrari began to fall into Perez’s clutches.
Leclerc’s reported his rear tyres hit the cliff as Perez was tucked right behind the Ferrari.
Piastri’s lead was up to two seconds as with DRS assistance Perez had a look on Leclerc, but the Mexican was kept at bay.
Behind them Norris on the main-straight with DRS assistance, swept passed championship-rival Verstappen to move up into sixth place.
Piastri’s gap was up to 3.460 seconds as behind them Perez got the slipstream and made a move on the outside to pass Leclerc into turn one, but the Ferrari made a late move back to remain in second place allowing Sainz to take third from the Mexican.
Out of turn two, Leclerc cleared the two as Sainz moved to cover Perez as they both collided and hit the wall scattering debris all over the track.
The virtual safety car was called for the final two laps due to the collision.
Piastri crossed the line under the VSC to take the Azerbaijan GP victory ahead of Leclerc as Russell rounded out the top three.
Norris came home fourth and with the fastest lap bonus point, ahead of Verstappen who took fifth, and Aston Martin’s Alonso who placed sixth in the classification.
Albon and Colapinto scored Williams a solid double-points whole taking seventh and eighth respectively as Mercedes’ Hamilton and Haas’s Bearman completed the final points places.
Hulkenberg finished the Baku Grand Prix behind his team-mate in 11th and in-front of Gasly who 12th and RB’s Ricciardo who settled for 13th.
Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas were 14th and at the rear whilst Alpine’s Ocon split the pairing in 15th.
The collision involving Sainz and Perez is currently under investigation by the race stewards.
2024 Singapore GP Preview – The Situation
The thrilling 2024 Formula 1 campaign continues with the Singapore GP this weekend as McLaren’s Lando Norris looks to close in on championship leader Max Verstappen.
An epic Baku Grand Prix weekend saw Norris recover from a shock exit in Q1 to beat title-rival Verstappen and bring the gap down to 59 points with seven races remaining on the schedule.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took a sensational victory in Azerbaijan over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to give the Woking based-outfit the lead in the World Constructor’s Championship standings for the first time since 2014, with Red Bull 20 points behind the legendary F1 squad.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit could be set for a difficult weekend if last year’s event is anything to go by, as it was the only Grand Prix they did not win in their dominant campaign.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won last season’s Singapore GP and will be looking to bounce back from his last race tangle with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in Baku last Sunday.
Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton also enjoyed one of his amazing pole laps at the Marina Bay Street Circuit back in 2018, but qualifying has been an issue for the Briton compared to his Silver Arrows team-mate George Russell.
Mercedes should be much stronger this weekend than they have been in recent Grands Prix, so another multi-team battle at the front is expected on a circuit where qualifying is crucial.
The Singapore GP is one of the most demanding races on the F1 calendar due to the heat and humidity and the length of the Grand Prix, which can often reach the two-hour limit.
F1 Academy also returns this weekend in it’s fifth round of the season, where Britain’s Abbi Pulling leads the championship.
Verstappen returns to Marina Bay sitting on top of the World Driver’s Championship with 313 points and a 59 point-advantage over Norris who is second on 254 points whilst Leclerc is a further 78 behind the Dutchman in third on 235 points.
McLaren Formula 1 Team come to Singapore comfortably at the top of the Constructors Championship with 476 points and a 20 point-lead over nearest rival Oracle Red Bull Racing who are second on 456 points whilst Scuderia Ferrari are third and a further 51 behind the Milton Keynes based-outfit on 425 points.
Click here for Formula 1 2024 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings
The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024 weekend begins Friday September 20 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday September 21 and the 61 lap Race Sunday September 22.
