Preview: Singapore GP
Having left Europe, Formula 1 returns to Asia this weekend for the sport’s only night race: the Singapore Grand Prix. Held on a tortuous street circuit in the heart of the city-state, the race is undoubtedly a highlight of the season.
After the high-speed demands of Monza two weeks ago, Singapore’s Marina Bay street circuit offers a very different challenge. It's F1’s only night race, lit by 1,500 light projectors, each with a 2000-watt white-metal halide lamp. The track has an average speed of just 170km/h (106mph), making it the second-slowest track of the year after Monaco. Ten of its 23 corners are taken in first or second gear and less than 50 per cent of the lap is spent at full throttle.
But the race is still one of the most demanding on the schedule. The asphalt is very bumpy, there’s little room for error and sweltering weather conditions – 30 degrees/70 per cent humidity – make it very tough for the drivers, who can lose up to three litres in sweat.
This race is also the longest Grand Prix of the year. Last year’s 61 laps were completed only 47s inside the FIA’s two-hour time limit and the shortest of the six Singapore GPs to date still took 1hr 56m back in 2009. The longevity of the race has been affected by the presence of the Safety Car, which has been deployed for at least four laps every year.
There are two DRS zones around the 5.065km lap. The first is on the start-finish straight; the second is on the approach to Turn Seven, which is also the fastest section of track, where the cars reach speeds of 300km/h.
With so much emphasis on low-speed traction, Pirelli is taking its two softest tyre compounds – the Soft (Prime) and Supersoft (Option) – to Singapore. This is a new strategy, as last year the company took its Supersoft and Medium compounds, the race being won with a two-stop strategy.
Car setup
Front wing Maximum downforce once again, as understeer could prove costly with the walls so close.
Rear wing The Singapore streets reward good levels of downforce and efficient torque management. The tight confines of Marina Bay require a relatively high downforce set-up with most of the corners being low and medium speed.
Suspension An all-round soft car is the optimum set-up for Marina Bay, as drivers have to ride the kerbs and generally be aggressive on the street circuit. The vehicle dynamics are an essential ingredient as the car has to be agile enough to manage some of the severe kerbs, particularly around the turn 1-4 section and at Raffles Avenue.
Brakes The circuit is tough on brake wear due to the relentless nature of the track and also because this is one of the longest Grand Prix of the year. The calipers, discs and pads all require close attention on cooling as they get little rest during a lap.
Tyres For Monza the medium (white) and hard (orange) tyres are provided by Pirelli. This is the same combination as used in 2013 and reflects the need to cater for the high-energy loads that the rubber goes through due to the high braking demands and the significant level of traction need to exit the three chicanes.
Power Unit The ICE and turbo are given an easy time at Singapore. The Energy Store and MGU-K, however, are really put through their paces. Each braking event is long and hard, particularly around the ‘hotel’ section through the grandstands, where the K will be able to recover enough energy to keep the battery at a relatively high level of charge throughout the lap. In contrast, the MGU-H is used a little less as the short straights between the corners do not really offer ample time for the exhaust to develop a steady flow.
These short bursts of power naturally require good torque response and driveability but they also bring fuel consumption well up. In fact we will use the largest amount of fuel per lap over the season here and we will be right on the limit of the 100kg permitted. To put this in context, last year we used 150kg of fuel – over 30% more. Here, more than anywhere else, shows the advances made in efficiency.
Quick facts
Race distance: 61 laps (308.828km/189.541 miles)
Start time: 20:00 (local)/12:00 (GMT)
Circuit length: 5.065km/3.148 miles
Lap record: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9) 1m48.574s (167.574km/h)
Track abrasiveness: Low. The main issue for the cars is the bumpy asphalt
Pirelli tyre choice: Supersoft (Option)/Soft (prime), a combination last used in Germany
2013 winning strategy: Two stops
Fuel consumption: High – only 45 per cent of the lap is spent at full throttle, but the stop-start nature of the track makes it one of the least fuel-efficient races of the season
Brakewear: High. There are some high-speed stretches, and most of the corners are slow
DRS zones: Two – one on the start-finish straight and the other on the approach to Turn 7
Turbo effect: High – due to lots of hard acceleration from low speed
Safety Car likelihood: High – there has been at least one Safety Car period every year
Grid Advantage: The racing line is on the right, giving that side of the track a slight advantage
Pitlane time: 20s
