Just a week after taking on one of the most unforgiving circuits on the calendar in Baku, teams and drivers must steel themselves for another demanding street track. The Singapore Grand Prix is regularly the longest and most gruelling race of the year.
The 15th edition of the first F1 race ever to be held at night, the Marina Bay circuit presents drivers with a similar challenge to Baku – only a much longer race in energy-sapping humidity.Since Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix no one has managed to win two races back-to-back. Will the race produce another unlikely winner this year after Carlos Sainz Jnr’s surprise triumph 12 months ago?
These are the talking points for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Can Red Bull resolve their set-up woes?
Red Bull failing to score a podium finish last weekend in Baku was nothing out of the ordinary, given how the world champions have been caught and surpassed by their rivals as the 2024 season has progressed.
But what was striking was how, for the first time in a long time, Verstappen did not have the pace of team mate Sergio Perez. While Perez was fighting for a podium in the closing laps, the championship leader was languishing in sixth place and unable to match the speed of his team mate ahead.
McLaren have been consistently faster than Red Bull for many rounds now, but Verstappen has been able to keep the damage in the championship from Lando Norris to a minimum through a combination of his own skill and McLaren being unable to make the very most of their opportunities. However, Verstappen now heads to a circuit that produced Red Bull’s worst performance of the 2023 season last year. Will they struggle again this year?
Verstappen believes that his underwhelming performance last weekend was down to the set-up direction he and the team went for in Azerbaijan. Red Bull must ensure they strike the right balance with the set-up this weekend, otherwise they might not be able to prevent Norris taking a large chunk out of Verstappen’s championship lead.
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Ferrari at the front
Last year’s Singapore Grand Prix was a standout among a season dominated by Red Bull and Verstappen. In fact, it was the only race all season that the world champions failed to win out of the 22.
After Sainz beat Leclerc and George Russell to pole position, Leclerc accepted the team’s plan to put him on soft tyres for the start of the race as the second-placed driver of the two. If he could get ahead of Russell early, then he could slow the Mercedes down to give Sainz a gap ahead and help boost the team’s chances of a victory.
That was exactly what happened as Leclerc managed to jump Russell off the line with his softer tyres. Although he would lose out with the later Safety Car, Leclerc had played his part and helped Ferrari to prevent a Red Bull whitewash of the season.
Leclerc and Sainz were both fighting for podium places last Sunday in Baku, while Leclerc also took victory the round prior in Monza. Will the Ferrari pair be willing to work together again in Singapore to try and secured a second successive Singapore win?
Briatore back at the scene
The first ever Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 was supposed to go down in history as the very first night race in Formula 1. Instead it became one of the most notorious races of all time.
In 2009, the FIA investigated Renault over the incident, finding the team guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute by deliberately orchestrating a crash to benefit the team. Briatore was handed an effective ban from the sport, but this was later overturned by a French court of appeal.
The ‘crashgate’ scandal was one of the ugliest incidents of cheating in the sport’s history, yet earlier this season, Alpine announced that Briatore had joined the team as an executive advisor ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. The move was met with disapproval by many.
Alpine will now head to Singapore, the scene of the scandal, with Briatore as a paid member of the team for the first time since 2009. Meanwhile Felipe Massa’s legal action against the FIA and F1 over the consequences of the incident rumble on – a botched Ferrari pit stop during the Safety Car period cost him a chance to win the race, which he blamed for his defeat in that year’s world championship.
Matters are little better on-track for Briatore’s team today. Alpine are just one place off the bottom of the championship standings after Williams overtook them in Baku.
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Return of the Mag
After suffering the indignity of being the first Formula 1 driver ever to receive a one-race suspension for accruing 12 penalty points on his superlicence, Kevin Magnussen will return to his VF-24 this weekend.
While Magnussen looks forward to getting back in the car and enjoying what is likely to be the final Formula 1 races of his career, Haas were able to get a sneak peek at their future as Oliver Bearman stepped into his car last weekend in Baku. The Ferrari junior had his second top ten finish of the season, taking the final point in tenth position. Will their regular driver be able to match that?
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Pirelli’s performance
Heading into last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, there was plenty of attention on F1 tyre suppliers Pirelli as the FIA mulled who they would pick as the sport’s exclusive tyre manufacturer for the 2025 to 2027 seasons. Although other manufactures expressed an interest, there was little surprise when Pirelli secured another three-year extension on their existing deal.
At another low-grip street circuit this weekend, will there be any further complaints about the tyres to add to Russell’s voice?
Which Safety Car streak will break?
But now the field head to a circuit that has seen a Safety Car deployed at every one of the 14 races it has held in history before. While that doesn’t mean, as is often frequently asserted, that there is a ‘100% probability of a Safety Car’ this weekend, it is certain that one of these two streaks must end.
The question is, which?
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DRS everywhere
Overtaking at Singapore has always been tricky, even with three (quite short) DRS zones. The addition of a fourth to the Marina Bay street circuit could make all the difference or none at all.
If passing is suddenly a more realistic possibility, it will make a significant difference to teams’ approach to strategies. The kind of tactics Ferrari employed last year may no longer be possible.
DRS often proves a prescription for predictable overtaking – there was no shortage of conspicuously easy passes in the extended zone in Baku last weekend. But it is hard to imagine it may tip the balance that far at a track like Singapore.
Are you going to the Singapore Grand Prix?
If you’re heading to Singapore for this weekend’s race, we want to hear from you:
Who do you think will be the team to beat in the Singapore Grand Prix? Have your say below.
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2024 Singapore Grand Prix
- Ricciardo’s brake woe and why Perez thought he had an engine problem: Singapore GP radio
- ‘Perez is only quicker when he has DRS’: How Hulkenberg’s Haas beat a Red Bull – again
- Mercedes explain “clear mistake” strategy call which left Hamilton “so angry”
- “Sometimes I wonder why I do this”: How Hamilton endured a slog to sixth in Singapore
- F1’s rules need surgery as well as sticking plaster after fastest lap controversy
MacLeod (@macleod)
18th September 2024, 7:40
Just replace everything start from behind and win in Mexico …. That would be beter for Red Bull
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
18th September 2024, 16:35
Good point, if they’re still bad at the track they could look at a minor point score, so getting new components for a track that suits them better could actually work.
Jere (@jerejj)
18th September 2024, 7:53
Can Red Bull resolve their set-up woes? – Even if they can, Singapore will likely again be difficult for them.
Ferrari at the front – Likely the early favorites, although Piastri’s pace in Baku shows that even the Marina Bay Street Circuit isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion for Ferrari anymore.
Briatore back at the scene – Irrelevant 16 years afterwards.
Return of the Mag – After the performance in Baku, I wish Bearman would stay to finish off the season for the team, but understandably, K-Mag wants to finish off his time as an F1 driver by seeing out the season as planned rather than prematurely for the sake of ending earlier.
Pirelli’s performance – Probably no different from other any previous Singapore GP editions.
Which Safety Car streak will break? – The consecutive full SC-free streak from the Spanish GP onwards will most likely end, which would, of course, mean yet another continuation for the 100% circuit-specific SC record, although I keep thinking every year that perhaps this would finally be the one without a full SC neutralization in Singapore.
Someday at the very latest, such a scenario should finally occur, though, if not this year either.
DRS everywhere – Most likely, zero difference on a circuit that’s among the five worst current ones for overtaking, & once again, DRS far from often proves a prescription for predictable overtaking.
Even the return to the original starting point for Baku Boulevard’s activation zone barely caused any easy-looking passes, & even those few happened because of considerable car or tyre delta, if not both.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
18th September 2024, 16:38
Indeed about drs, for example leclerc wasn’t example to overtake piastri for big part of the race despite being often half a sec behind.
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
18th September 2024, 8:22
Honestly, this season has been so shocking in terms of team performances going back and forth. I would not be surprised if Max suddenly dominates at a track Red Bull has long struggled to perform at. It would make no sense, but then again this season makes no sense seeing how Red Bull, then Ferrari, then McLaren, then Mercedes, then McLaren and Ferrari again, have taken turns winning races.
Nick T.
18th September 2024, 9:58
Makes me all the way back to like a week and half ago when pundits and fans alike were saying Mercedes had finally cracked the code and would be a consistent threat to win let alone score podiums (though Russell did ironically luck into one).
Nick T.
18th September 2024, 12:28
BTW, I’d be more amazed by RBR not nose diving than their recent form considering:
-two-thirds of RBR’s long term foundation are gone or halfway out the door: 1) Newey 2) Wheatley 3) Hannah Schmidt (who only gets noticed when Max is angry).
-and they’ve had tons more talent poached over the past 3 seasons including prominent lieutenants like Rob Marshall (who’s shown his immense worth @ McLaren) + Fallows, who even if not good as a big picture guy, was clearly great at executing projects assigned to him.
Who makes up their VIP technical core now?
Nick T.
18th September 2024, 9:54
Ironic + unfortunate that K Mag’s blinder of a GP at Monza was completely overshadowed by his ban. Speaking of blinders, w/Williams easily the fastest of the bottom 6 teams in Baku, it will be fascinating to see if Colapinto can maintain his form in Singapore. If he does, it will increase the chances that Audi will take the much more inspiring route of giving Bortoleto a shot in 2025 instead of Bottas and the predictable backhanded praise about “a steady hand,” excuses in the form of praise like “needing consistency now more than ever” if he gets an extension.
papaya
18th September 2024, 11:30
Singapore track
Used to be
Strongest Red Bull track
During Hybrid V6 era
Red Bull always
Very competitive there
During Mercedes domination years
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
18th September 2024, 16:46
I think it’s always been a boogey track for the otherwise strongest team, however this season had such a varied performance order race-by race that I’m not sure who will be on top.
Leo B
18th September 2024, 12:22
Can Max take out 2 Ferraris at the first corner like he did in 2017.
Nick T.
18th September 2024, 12:29
B nice, Leopold.
F1 frog (@f1frog)
18th September 2024, 13:12
I think the lack of safety cars has played a big role in what has made the run of races preceding this one so enjoyable to watch. A race where two cars finish nose-to-tail after a late race battle due to a safety car at the end (I am thinking Silverstone 2022) doesn’t feel quite as good because the flow of the race is interrupted and some drivers are given second chances and helped out more than others. But a race like Baku 2024 where Piastri and Leclerc are nose-to-tail throughout just because they are so evenly-matched and not at all manipulated by this luck factor is so much better. And we have now had eight in a row, all corkers with the exception of Zandvoort. Long may it continue! And the added championship storyline of Norris slowly cutting into Verstappen’s lead means that if this goes down to the final race, it will have to go down in history among the greatest seasons ever.
Nick T.
18th September 2024, 14:38
To F1’s credit, it seems they got the message that they were making F1 look like a joke with the constant SCs and RFs for seeming trifles. Depressingly, it was pretty apparent that it was only partly due to being overly safety conscious and more about thinking they could use the NASCAR model to spice up races.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
18th September 2024, 16:48
It’s not unreasonable to say, which is crazy when you think about how this season began!
MichaelN
18th September 2024, 22:00
To each their own, of course, but having one team be great at the start and another at the end makes the points table look exciting but not so much the races. Thankfully Mercedes and Ferrari have been able to spice things up a bit.
More races like Austria where Verstappen and Norris can go toe to toe would make this championship come alive. Although, it would also mean that Norris’ slim chances would quickly disappear when he can only take a handful of points out of Verstappen’s lead. So I guess it wouldn’t really do the championship much good.
If only Norris hadn’t squandered so many points mid season.