Event Details:
Race Date: 23 September, 2012
Circuit Name: Marina Bay Street Circuit
Number of Laps: 61
Circuit Length: 5.073 km
Race Distance: 309.316 km
Lap Record: 1:45.599 – K. Raikkonen (2008)
Event Time Table:
(Timing according to Indian Standard Time: +5.30 GMT)
Fri 21st September, 2012
Practice 1: 15:30 – 17:00
Practice 2: 19:00 – 20:30
Sat 22nd September, 2012
Practice 3: 15:30 – 16:30
Qualifying: 18:30
Sun 23 September, 2012
Race 17:30
The Singapore Grand Prix is the longest race on the F1 calendar with a total race distance of 309 km.The Singapore circuit is a street circuit with many slow and twisty corners. Also, the walls are very close with little to no run-off areas. Added to all this is the hot and humid Singapore weather which makes the race one of the toughest races on the F1 calendar.
Technical Details:
The starting fuel load of cars in Singapore is the highest and this accounts for higher tyre degradation particularly during the beginning of the race. As the circuit has many slow corners, traction from tyres is very important in order to get a quick lap in Singapore. So, tyre strategy and management is going to be vital for all teams.
The chance of a safety car is very high in Singapore and so teams need to keep that at the back of their minds while planning strategy. The pit-lane speed limit in Singapore is lower than other tracks i.e 60 kmph. So an extra pitstop can prove very costly.
Weather:
The Weather Forecast for Singapore Grand Prix indicates a very wet weekend and if it does rain, visibility under the lights can be a concern.
Team Previews:
Jenson Button, McLaren
2011 Qualifying – 3rd, 2011 Race – 2nd
“I didn’t spend too much time looking back at my non-finish in Monza. Obviously, it was disappointing not to be able to help the team to a one-two finish, but these things happen. What’s more encouraging is that we have strong pace on a range of very different circuits – and, hopefully, we can continue to push that momentum in Singapore next weekend.
“The Marina Bay track is unique – there are a couple of long straights, so it’s very fast, but all the corners are generally taken in second or third gear, so you’re trying to find the best set-up compromise – particularly as you need good end-of-straight speed for overtaking into Turn Seven. That’s the best opportunity for passing as it also comes at the end of the DRS zone.
“Every lap is a great challenge: I had a really enjoyable race at Singapore last year. My car was completely dialled in and I was able to push to chase down Sebastian [Vettel] during the closing laps. This year, I hope we’ll once again have a package that will enable us to fight at the front.”
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2011 Qualifying – 4th, 2011 Race – 5th
“We’re now inching closer to the finishing line – and this is where it starts to get exciting! After winning the last three races of the European season, the whole team starts the long haul around the world for the final series of flyaways that will determine the outcome of this year’s world championship.
“After winning in Hungary and Monza, I head to Singapore full of positivity and optimism that we can take the title fight to Fernando [Alonso]. I enjoy the Marina Bay circuit in the same way that I like racing at the Hungaroring – it’s a darty track that requires you to really be on top of the car to get the best from it. It requires more finesse, though: most of the braking zones are approached at very high speed, and the walls are never far away. Factor in the heat and humidity and it’s a very challenging weekend.
“Although I had a fantastic win there back in 2009, I’ve not had the greatest of results in Singapore recently. I got a puncture and retired after tangling with Mark Webber in 2010 and I was delayed after touching wheels with Felipe [Massa] last year. Both those races were unlucky for me – I think I need a better roll of the dice this time around!”
Paul di Resta, Force India
2011 Qualifying – 10th, 2011 Race – 6th
“I had a good race there last year and we’ve seen already that the car has been strong on street circuits this year. So I’m hoping that we will go well there, optimise the set-up and pick up some good points. I think it’s a track everybody enjoys and it’s an interesting race because of the unusual schedule.
“(The lights) do such a good job that you don’t really notice. It’s almost better than if you are driving during the day with cloud cover. It’s just something you get used to really quickly. The other thing is you arrive there and stay on European time, and the night becomes your day so you don’t really suffer with jet lag.
“It’s not something I find difficult. The important thing is making sure you choose the right flight to arrive in Singapore at the right time of day. You also have to make sure the hotel staff don’t tap on your door in the morning at 9am because you need to be sleeping for another five hours! I always go to bed at 6am and wake up at 2pm, that’s my routine.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2011 Qualifying – n/a, 2011 Race – n/a
“I took part in the 2010 race and thought it was a mega experience. The whole atmosphere in the paddock and working at night is fun because it makes a nice change. We stay on European time so the body keeps its rhythm, although it does feel strange to be going to bed when the sun is rising.
“It’s a very long lap with some tricky bumps and kerbs, and you need to get close to the walls if you want to be quick. So getting the perfect lap is not easy. It’s anti-clockwise, too, although it’s not as demanding on the neck as somewhere like Interlagos because most of the corners are low to medium speed.
“For me Singapore is the toughest race of the year – physically and mentally. I think it’s because there are 23 corners on the track and it’s one of the longest races of the year – always close to the two hour limit. So you certainly feel it after the race because of the high temperatures and humidity.”
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
2011 Qualifying – n/a, 2011 Race – n/a
“I really like going to Singapore. It’s a great place to be, I love the local food and I don’t mind the unusual times we run in the car. I have some unfinished business after my two GPs there so far, as I have never scored a point. That doesn’t mean I’m not quick there as I’ve been told I still hold the lap record from 2008. I crashed while fighting for fifth place that year and finished down in 10th in 2009, so I want better this time.
“In the first two years of this GP, I was a little bit surprised by how people were talking so much about the different timing. When they switch on the lights, it’s exactly the same as racing in the day time. I think everybody in F1 enjoys the night race in Singapore. It’s worked out really well as it’s a buzzing city and lots of people turn up. Apart from one or two dark spots in the run-off areas the circuit is very well lit, so there is not a big difference to racing in the day.
“Monaco was not that good for us, but Valencia was one of the best weekends so far. Obviously, there is no reason why Singapore should be any different compared to Valencia. Like at every street circuit, it’s very difficult to pass other cars there, so starting the race as high as possible on the grid is a very important factor to get a good result.”
Romain Grosjean, Lotus
2011 Qualifying – n/a, 2011 Race – n/a
“Singapore is a pretty special race with it being held at night; it makes a great show for the fans. It’s a pretty cool city. I haven’t got much experience of the circuit so far; my first race here was back in 2009 and that was a difficult weekend, but I’m looking forward to getting back in the car, learning the track a bit better and putting everything in place for the rest of the season. It’s another circuit, another race and a chance for me to get back out there and do my best. I want to qualify well, be as close to possible to Kimi in terms of performance and score points for the team in the constructors’ championship. It’s a very high-downforce track and that seems to suit us best as we saw in Budapest. In terms of the tyres I think we should be looking good too; it’s always an interesting race, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber
2011 Qualifying – 17th, 2011 Race – 14th
“After our great result in Monza, everybody in the team is very motivated. Singapore is a truly special event. As a night race it has established itself as a real highlight. Personally I like the place. Also it’s not too far from my home country, and there are always a lot of Japanese fans. The track is quite demanding with a lot of corners, and mostly slow ones. In the past this kind of track didn’t really suit our car, but with this year’s Sauber C31 things have changed. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be competitive there.”
Sergio Perez, Sauber
2011 Qualifying – 11th, 2011 Race – 10th
“The Singapore Grand Prix is a very special race on an extraordinary track with a unique schedule. You race at night and you live at night. Also it will be the first round back in Asia after quite a while. The amount of travelling is increasing a lot now. I generally like street circuits and the one in Singapore is physically quite demanding, but I feel prepared for that. Also for our car it should be an okay track to race on. I am very much looking forward to it and I want to get in another good result for the team at that very prestigious race.”
2011 Qualifying – 8th, 2011 Race – DNF
“Singapore is a one-off in lots of ways, with the city, racing at night and the circuit itself. It’s a brilliantly unusual race. At first sight, everything seems more relaxed because the action happens at night, but of course it’s not like that at all. The reality is that you have to work hard to stay on European time and in the right bio-rhythms, so that you can perform perfectly in the race – because it’s unusual to be competing at this time of day. The nice thing is that the circuit is very technically demanding and it’s very tricky to get a perfect lap. After areasonably encouraging weekend in Monza, we have good expectations for another promising performance. I’m looking forward to the night race.”
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying – 7th, 2011 Race – 7th
“The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the season and it’s such a fun weekend. The city is fantastic, and I finished second in the race here in 2008 which was a great experience and has given me some really nice memories of this event. It’s always seems strange to be driving at night, going to bed at 5am and then waking up in the afternoon but it’s surprising how easy it is to adapt. I really enjoy the Marina Bay track, it’s a street circuit with a difference and with the intense heat and humidity, the sheer number of corners and racing under the lights, it really is a challenge.”
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying – 1st, 2011 Race – 1st
“Singapore is one of the highlights on the calendar, because the atmosphere of a night race is amazing. I also like it because the track is really great to race on – which is partly to do with the fact that we race anticlockwise there. Singapore is a fascinating city to visit and everything seems to be extremely clean and tidy. We all stay on European time for the weekend and because the race doesn’t start until 8pm, most of the drivers tend to get up around 2pm – it’s pretty unusual.”
Mark Webber, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying – 2nd, 2011 Race – 3rd
“We’ve had some good results in Singapore. It’s a very, very challenging circuit and one that the car should work well on. We’ve been solid on street circuits this year, so that gives us some confidence that the car will be towards the sharp end again. I like going to Singapore, it’s clean and it’s safe. Everyone embraces the event, but I also love the fact that we have a lot of Australians attending, especially from the West Coast as it’s an easy flight from there. That’s quite unique.”
Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
2011 Qualifying – n/a, 2011 Race – n/a
“I’ve never raced at Singapore but I know the circuit because of my simulator work as a test driver for McLaren. It’s a spectacular track and probably the toughest circuit on the brakes in the entire championship besides being a very physically demanding race because of the heat and humidity. We should have a good performance as there are many slow corners and it is quite similar to Monaco. Besides, we’ve got an aero upgrade which should help us to cut down the gap to our rivals. I have to make the most of the practice session to adapt to the circuit but I’m up for the challenge.”
Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
2011 Qualifying – n/a, 2011 Race – n/a
“Singapore has a spectacular atmosphere as the race takes place under artificial lighting. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is bumpy and very complicated. You can’t make any mistakes as it is a street circuit. Besides, it’s also very demanding physically because of the high temperatures and humidity. I arrive here extremely motivated and in good form after a good weekend in Italy and we’ve also brought upgrades which we hope will help us improve our race pace a little bit more.”
Pastor Maldonado, Williams
2011 Qualifying – 13th, 2011 Race – 11th
“This is my second time at Singapore which is a great city with a great atmosphere. The race is unique because it takes place at night and you have to adapt to the temperature change and of course the time difference because we stay on European time all week. The track requires high downforce which is good for us and it’s similar to Barcelona in terms of aerodynamics so this should be a track where we can show the potential of our car.”
Bruno Senna, Williams
2011 Qualifying – n/a, 2011 Race – n/a
“Singapore should suit our car because it’s a high downforce and load circuit and that’s where the car feels at home the most. Of course it’s hard to judge where we will be as others teams are improving all the time, but if we can score points in Monza then we should be looking to get further into the top ten in Singapore. I had a good performance there last year as well so that always gives you a boost before a race.”
All in all the Singapore grand prix is a perfect recipe for F1 fans worldwide.
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