Race details
Circuit Marina Bay Circuit First race 2008 Grands Prix held 7
Laps 61 Race distance 308.81km Circuit length 5.065km Lap record 1:48.574 by Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 2013
Chance of safety car High
Most wins by driver Sebastian Vettel x3 Most wins by team Red Bull x3
2014 result
1st Lewis Hamilton (GBR), Mercedes AMG 2:00:04.795
2nd Sebastian Vettel (GER), Red Bull Racing +13.534s
3rd Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Red Bull Racing +14.273s
2015 schedule
September 18 – Friday practice 1 2pm to 3.30pm Friday practice 2 5.30pm to 7.30pm
September 19 – Saturday practice 3 2pm to 3pm Saturday qualifying 5pm to 6pm
September 20 – Sunday race 4pm to 6pm
All times UAE
TV schedule All sessions to be broadcast on BeIN Sports HD6
Best places to watch
Click here to find out where the best bars to watch the Grand Prix live are.
Phone ahead to check, Gulf News is not responsible for any changes
Points of interest
The atmosphere
The Singapore Grand Prix was the first ever Formula 1 race to run at night, and the only other street circuit on the calendar after Monaco. Even today it boasts an atmosphere like no other. Racing under lights from start to finish, the cars race around the generous street circuit with a sparkle.
The humidity and heat will cause a few sweaty brows.
Weather forecast
Never before has it rained during the Singapore Grand Prix itself, so the fears about standing water reflecting the light and potentially impairing the drivers’ vision is still an unknown quantity.
This year, the weather is rolling the dice as a mixture of showers and thunderstorms are forecast to strike over the course of the weekend. On Sunday evening, the chance of showers is 50 per cent, with humidity at a near unbearable 82 per cent.
A bit of history
The history of motorsport in Singapore goes back farther than you think. In 1966, a circuit nearby to the current track, called Thomson Road, hosted an open racing series called Formula Libre – “libre” meaning free. It was all fairly mish-mash but nonetheless ran consecutively until 1973. However, grave safety concerns brought the use of Thomson Road to an end, and it wouldn’t be until 2008 until racing would return to the former British colony.
Despite its relatively short history as a part of Formula 1, Marina Bay has been witness to a great degree of drama. There was Felipe Massa leaving the pits with his fuel rig still attached, myriad collisions and, most famously, “Crashgate” in 2008.
It eventually transpired a year later that Renault Driver Nelson Piquet Jr. was asked to crash intentionally by team bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symmonds. The “crash” resulted in Piquet’s teammate, Fernando Alonso, taking an unexpected win.
The revelations only came to surface after Piquet was dropped by the Renault team the following year.
Best overtaking spots
As with any street circuit, overtaking is somewhat difficult. There are, however, a couple of opportunities. Not least the start-finish straight and into the first turn. The straights are usually the most common spots, but brave drivers have done bold things before.
Writer’s winner
Lewis Hamilton. A predictable prediction, but if he doesn’t win then something must have gone wrong with him. We’re not bias, we just don’t think he can be beaten at the moment.
Famous moments
“Crashgate” 2008
In 2009 Nelson Piquet Jr. was given the boot from Renault, he alerted the FIA that he had been asked the crash deliberately at the race the year before, and the fallout was absolutely epic.
Massa vs fuel rig
It wasn’t his fault, but Felipe Massa’s hopes of winning the World Championship in 2008 took a knock when the pit signal turned green to early. The video says it all…
Kimi the King
Never shy to race tough, Kimi Raikkonen makes an outstanding pass on Jenson Button… around the outside.
