A modern-day classic despite its unusual timings as a night race, Singapore has become a popular stop for the Formula One paddock. Due to the high humidity the drivers lose up to three kilos in sweat during the race, so preparation is vital to maintain concentration amidst the looming street circuit barriers.

The race’s susceptibility for safety cars makes it one of the longest of the season, and it often finishes close to the FIA’s two hour time limit. Good traction and car stability are vital for a good lap time due to the bumpy nature of the circuit but unlike other street circuits, overtaking is possible.

ROB SMEDLEY:
On the back of a successful weekend in Monza, the team heads to Singapore in good spirits and hopeful of scoring some good points. It’s a street circuit and a night race so it poses some very significant challenges. It’s very long with 23 corners which are a challenge for the drivers physically, and also for the engineers because of their relative low speed. It starts off as an understeer circuit which develops to include tyre degradation on the rear tyres which causes traction issues in the race. The ambient conditions are tough on both the drivers and the crew alike, as are the abnormal working hours which everyone has to get used to. There have been a few small changes in the layout but the drivers have worked in the simulator to understand this. Singapore has become a jewel in the crown of Formula One as it epitomises what we love about the sport.

FELIPE MASSA:
It’s a fantastic race and I love to visit Singapore; the city is incredible and the people are really friendly. There are a lot of passionate fans so I hope we can deliver a good performance. It’s not easy to get the set-up perfect and the tyres working in the ideal operating window, and these are challenges we will face from the start of the first session. Of the last remaining races this season this is probably the hardest track for our car, but that doesn’t mean we can’t deliver a good haul of points.

VALTTERI BOTTAS:
Singapore is a very cool place and quite unique in that it’s a night race. Being in the middle of the city I can walk to the circuit from my hotel which is convenient and adds to the sense of atmosphere. For the fans there is nothing more you would want really - you can see the city and racing all in close proximity. For the team it’s a challenging track as there are so many corners with different characteristics which makes it hard to get the balance perfect. The heat, humidity and intensity of the track also makes it very physically demanding. There have been a few changes to the track layout this year so it will be interesting to see the effects these have.

Race Data
Friday:
Practice 1: 18:00 - 19:30
Practice 2: 21:30 - 23:00
Saturday:
Practice 3: 18:00 - 19:00
Qualifying: 21:00 – 22:00
Sunday: Race: 20:00