17/09/2019
NEWS STORY
Singapore broke new ground for Formula 1, when, in 2008, the city-state hosted the sport's first ever night race. The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix got underway at 8pm local time, two hours after darkness had fallen, and the 5.065km/3.148-mile circuit had to be lit by more than 1500 trackside lamps.
Since then there have been several tweaks to the track layout, but the fundamental challenge of the race remains the same. It's a relatively long and slow lap, and the hot and humid equatorial conditions make it one of the toughest races of the year for the drivers.
Carlos Sainz: "The last two European races of the season didn't go to plan, so I‘m looking forward to recovering some positive momentum in the upcoming flyaway races. Spa and Monza were unfortunate but there is no reason to not stay positive. As always, we need to keep our heads down and fight for every opportunity.
"Singapore is a special circuit that normally presents those opportunities, such as in 2017 when I crossed the line in fourth position. It's a unique challenge set in the middle of an amazing city. Racing on European time is an interesting feature of the weekend and the hot temperatures and humidity only add to the challenge."
Lando Norris: "I'm excited to head to Singapore for the first time and I've been doing a lot of prep back in the factory to get ready for the weekend. From my work in the simulator, the street circuit seems to be an exciting challenge and I'm really looking forward to my first laps on Friday. I'll be heading out to Singapore a few days early so I can get used to the temperatures with some specialist training, take in some of the city and prepare myself for the weekend ahead."
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: "We go to Singapore looking to reset and refresh following two difficult weekends in Belgium and Italy. Those races demonstrated just how close the midfield pack is, and that even the smallest issue can cost a lot in the Constructors' Championship. We know the areas we need to work on between now and the end of the season, and the team is pushing hard right through to Abu Dhabi.
"The night race in Singapore creates a unique environment. It offers an interesting challenge from an operational point of view, with the team working on a European-time schedule, but through the night due to the local time zone. But, as ever, we are focused on maximising our capabilities as a team throughout the race weekend and extracting performance at every opportunity."
Race laps: 61
Circuit length: 5.965km/3.148 miles
Total race distance: 308.706km/191.830 miles
Distance to Turn One: 200m/0.124 miles
Number of corners: 23 (14 right, nine left)