The Marina Bay Street Circuit has hosted the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix every year since 2008. The race is run at night, against the stunning backdrop of the Lion City skyline. The street circuit is very slow, twisty and the walls at the edge of the track are unforgiving.

Even though the cars run at the Singapore circuit with a high downforce set-up on a low grip surface, cars still exceed 310 km/h, partly with the help of the DRS system, used in the run down to Memorial Corner, the hardest braking point on the lap.

Features of the Singapore F1 track

The circuit is very tough on brakes, with drivers spending 22 seconds, or a quarter of the lap time with their foot planted on the left hand pedal. There are 15 braking points and pad and disc wear is something the engineers have to keep an eye on, lap after lap.

The Marina Bay Circuit is not a track where engine power rules the roost. Only 44% of the lap is spent on full throttle, although heat soak on the engine is considerable, partly down to the high temperatures and level of humidity. Fuel consumption is also a factor, with an estimated 99 kilos of fuel used over the course of the race. It means that “lift and coast” will be the order of the day in order not to run dry.

In 2018, Kevin Magnussen set a new lap record on the Singapore Circuit, stopping the clocks in 1.41.905. Sebastian Vettel has the best record in Singapore, having won the race no fewer than five times.