The original Formula 1 night race, the Singapore Grand Prix has quickly become one of the most iconic events on the calendar since its inaugural running in 2008. A significant physical test as well as a driving one, your guide to the Marina Bay Circuit is Pierre Gasly, who in 2023 secured a top-six finish in Singapore for Alpine.
“I think Singapore is definitely right up there in terms of trickiness and challenge because not only is it a street track, so it’s bumpy, but some of the corners are quite high speed, and it’s by night.
“I would definitely say street tracks in general are slightly more challenging and this one has many corners, which makes for a very long race. On top of that it provides difficult conditions, with the physicality and the humidity, etc. So in terms of focus, it’s also important to keep your head cool until the end.
“Honestly, I really feel the whole lap is important, there is no one standout area that is necessarily the key. I mean, that whole first section of the track, Turn 1, 2, 3, obviously as you commit to Turn 1 it then impacts the way you’re going to do Turn 3, so that whole section is important.
“The section from Turn 10 is tricky, too. After that you get the chicane where you go over the bridge and then after that you’ve got the hairpin, where you’re turning before braking – that corner is also one which is not easy to nail. But they’re all pretty complex, that’s what I like about it.
“All of the corners are quite different around this track. Even like the right hander at Turn 5 is quite high speed, it’s a bit bumpy – which is not good for our car – but it makes it very challenging.
“It’s a street track, so you’ve got to take risks – obviously measured risks – but it definitely increases the adrenaline inside the cockpit.
Gasly enjoys the fact the Singapore circuit is a place that demands and rewards risk taking. Lionel Ng/Getty Images
“All cars are different, but I think the tricky thing when it comes to setup for us here is the fact that it’s a compromise on ride versus downforce. If you focus more on ride, for example, you lose the downforce or potentially lose more grip.
“So then it’s kind of like trying to find where is the fine line? You can’t go too extreme on the ride and discount the importance of still having a focus on the aero, or vice versa. Tires around here are not easy either.
“Generally, it’s the type of track where, with our package, I know it’s not going to feel great. But as a racing driver, you’ve got to feel comfortable in the end. So that’s definitely going to be the key to the weekend.
“Honestly, I love it. It’s just a challenge. It’s a street track, you’re millimeters from the walls, the requirement for precision really pushes you physically and mentally, especially when it comes to keeping that concentration.”
AT A GLANCE
Race distance: 62laps/190.3 miles
2024 pole time: 1m29.525s (Lando Norris, McLaren-Mercedes)
2024 winner: Lando Norris, McLaren-Mercedes
Pirelli tire allotment: Pirelli has made no changes since last year for the dry weather compounds at the Marina Bay circuit, with the C3 as the Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft.
SINGAPORE AIRWAYS SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Friday, October 3
5:25am – 6:30am – First Practice, ESPN2
8:55am – 10:00am – Second Practice, ESPN2
Saturday, October 4
5:25am – 6:30am – Third Practice, ESPN2
8:55am – 10:00am – Qualifying, ESPN2
Sunday, October 5
7:55am – 10:00am – Singapore Grand Prix (62 laps or 120 minutes), ESPN
