The Singapore Grand Prix joined Formula One in 2008 when it became the first F1 night race. The 2024 edition at the Marina Bay Street Circuit will be the 15th race in Singapore. The unpredictability of the event makes it an exceptional race weekend, but we try to make some guesses. Here are the key features of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix that new F1 fans need to know, as they will play a role in the race results.

#1. Safety Car Always A Factor At Singapore Grand Prix

The Singapore Grand Prix has been canceled twice due to the covid, but the safety car appeared in all the rest. Thus, the F1 safety car has been used 11 times in the last six years, meaning that the drivers have seen Bert Mylander’s car almost twice per race, which made it a tradition at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Why Is Safety Car So Important At the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix?

A safety car is a crucial factor in Formula One race strategy, as its appearance can either destroy or give an advantage.

So, in terms of the F1 Singapore statistics, the safety car will come out, but nobody knows when, although the teams have to be ready at all times.

Therefore, the tire strategy has to match the opportunity to make the right choice whenever needed, although it is not simple.

Stopping once is the best strategy option for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, but it requires the drivers to keep their tires.

Stopping more than once does not make sense because the pit lane speed limit at the Marina Bay Street Circuit is 60km/h. Compared to 80km/h at most tracks, a sluggish run will give an advantage to the opponents.

The winning option is to switch to the overcut strategy and get the free pit stop due to the safety car, but again, no one knows when the moment comes.

#2. Singapore GP’s Racing Conditions Are Tougher Than Its Track Layout

The organizers changed the Marina Bay Circuit’s layout in 2023, and the track’s distance was shortened by 100 meters (4 turns) and became faster. Thus, in the Singapore Grand Prix 2023, Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz set the quickest 1:30.984 lap time and won the race, while Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set 1:35.867.

The change for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix is the addition of an extra DRS zone, with drivers completing a total of 62 laps of the 4.94-kilometer track with 4 DRS zones. The DRS zone is the stage where drivers in less than a second behind each other can get an extra 10-30 km/h of power by opening the flap on the rear wing.

However, the track’s biggest drawback is the weather.

Why Is Weather So Important At the Singapore Grand Prix?

The forecast for the Singapore GP 2024 promises about +30 C, but besides the heat, the humidity tires out the drivers and the cars the most.

As the humidity increases the sensation of heat, the physical stress forces the drivers to lose up to 3 kg of body weight, while the increased loads wear down the engines during the race. Therefore, pushing all the limits is not the best option on the track.

However, among the current drivers, Alfa Romeo (Sauber)racer Valtteri Bottas, who finished on the podium in 2017, likes the F1 race in Singapore.

#3. The Marina Bay Street Circuit Is Where The Leaders Are Struggling

Among the current drivers, Lewis Hamilton has won four F1 races in Singapore, while Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) have each won once. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri), and Lando Norris (McLaren) have all finished on the podium.

In fact, at every Singapore Grand Prix, the leading team has struggled with different issues, as has been the case with Mercedes and Red Bull.

What Does It Mean?

McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will struggle in these terms, so we do not expect high results from them, although Piastri must finish in the top five.

As for the possible winners, we are betting on Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who is exciting as the most talented F1 car designer Adrian Newey will join the team in 2025, which will significantly increase Aston’s chances of winning the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.

If you look at the statistics, there have been nine wins by drivers who started from the pole and ten wins by those who started from the front row, which tells us that nothing is predictable. The last driver to win from the back of the grid was Alonso in 2008, when he started 15th, although the event ended with the ‘Crashgate’ controversy.

As for the big numbers, Lewis Hamilton’s start at the Singapore Grand Prix 2024 will be his 239th start for Mercedes and 350th in his racing career, less than Alonso’s 395th. For Max Verstappen, the Singapore Grand Prix 2024 will be his 180th start for Red Bull – the same as Michael Schumacher raced for Ferrari.

#4. The Important Actions On The Driver Market Will Start After The Singapore Grand Prix

There were plenty of questions for the drivers, and most were concerned about Max Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez, who has been lagging.

Despite a better qualifying position of P4 (Verstappen P6) and a good start, Perez collided with Carlos Sainz and crashed on lap 50 of the Baku Grand Prix.

In most cases, the situation would mean Perez quickly withdrawing from the team by replacing him with Daniel Ricciardo. However, no one decides before the Singapore Grand Prix, as the team reduces all risks and bets for reliability.

What Does The Singapore Grand Prix 2024 Mean For The Driver Market?

The results of the Singapore Grand Prix 2024 will play a role in the future of Guanyu Zhou, Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez, and Franco Colapinto.

Alfa Romeo (Audi team since the 2026 season) has expected high results from Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou. But he didn’t push the maximum, causing rumors that Haas F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg will replace Zhou.

The race will be no less decisive for AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull driver Sergio Perez. The two teams have the closest relationship as AlphaTauri is the younger sister of Red Bull, and Daniel Ricciardo is the number one candidate to replace Sergio Perez.

In short, if Perez finally takes the pole, or even the podium, he will postpone the dismissal and even attract a new employer. Otherwise, Red Bull can drop off Perez soon after the race at Marina Bay. The same goes for Daniel Ricciardo. If Ricciardo does a brilliant job at the wheel of the less powerful AlphaTauri, he will soon become Max Verstappen’s teammate, while youngster Liam Lawson will replace Ricciardo for AlphaTauri.

However, Franco Colapinto has attracted the most media and team attention. The Argentinian Formula One driver has only just joined Williams to replace Logan Sargeant but scored 4 points in his first-ever F1 race in Azerbaijan, finishing 8th.

With Franco Colapinto’s contract with Williams set to expire in 2024, many teams are closely monitoring his performance and considering signing Colapinto, including Alfa Romeo.

Takeaways

• The Singapore Grand Prix is always an unpredictable race in which the safety car has become an integral part of the event, directly affecting the race strategy and giving or reducing the drivers’ chances of winning.
• The Marina Bay Street Circuit was modified in 2023, while its layout got the additional DRS zone, making a total of 4 areas where drivers can take chances for overtaking.
• However, the most significant feature of the Grand Prix is the weather conditions, as the high humidity makes the +30C heat even more challenging for drivers and cars.
• Perhaps this is why the leaders always struggle at the Marina Bay Circuit and experience a lack of pace. As for the statistics, McLaren will be the team to beat, while Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes can finish on the podium.
• Besides, the Singapore Grand Prix often comes as the specific point for teams to decide on the driver market, causing Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Pérez, and Franco Colapinto to be the main heroes in front of the cameras.