Singapore Grand Prix: Race Preview

Singapore joined Formula 1’s calendar in 2008 and the city state broke new ground for the championship, establishing itself as the inaugural night race. Thousands of powerful lights illuminate the 4.9km course to almost replicate daylight, while the floodlit skyscrapers and landmarks of the Marina Bay district provide a spectacular backdrop to the racing action.

Marina Bay is among the slowest circuits on the calendar, with only around 50 percent of the lap taken at full throttle, though conversely it has four heavy braking events, meaning careful management is required. The majority of its 19 turns require only second or third gear, and the wall-lined circuit is also bumpy, particularly in the current generation cars. The straights at Marina Bay are also relatively short, meaning passing places can be at a premium, though changes to the layout in 2023 removed four corners and provided an additional overtaking opportunity. Teams and drivers must also cope with hot temperatures and high humidity through the course of the weekend, as well as adjusting to an off-set timetable on account of the night-based nature of the event. Singapore has held 14 grands prix and each one has featured the appearance of the safety car, meaning strategists have to be on the ball to swiftly react to any race interruption.

Kevin Magnussen will be restored to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s driver line-up after the Dane served his one-event suspension – missing the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Magnussen and teammate Nico Hulkenberg both have a wealth of experience at Marina Bay; Magnussen finished in the points in 2023 and has twice set the race’s fastest lap, in 2018 and 2019 respectively, with his time from 2018 a race lap record on that iteration of the circuit.  

American racer Chloe Chambers, 20, will also be in action representing MoneyGram Haas F1 Team in round five of the 2024 F1 Academy season. Chambers, who competes for Campos Racing, currently holds third in the Drivers’ Standings.




Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal:

“Singapore is another challenging street circuit, and I’m looking forward to having Kevin back as he’s very strong at that kind of track, and he loves the challenge. Last year in a car that wasn’t very competitive, he managed to score a point so we’re looking forward seeing what he can do. For Nico, the flow of the Marina Bay Street Circuit is better than Baku, so he should be up there as well. Compared to Baku, it’s a very different demand; Baku is a low/medium downforce circuit with the long straights and Singapore is more high downforce, so in terms of characteristics it’s going to be a different challenge. I’m really looking forward to it.”



Nico Hulkenberg:

“Singapore’s fabulous and it’s one of the highlights of the year for me. I love the atmosphere and the energy; it has a great vibe. It’s the original night race of Formula 1, and it feels like that being so special and unique. I love the track, the challenge of it, and the physicality of the race, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll be rocking a different helmet; it looks good at night under the lights, as do the cars. Obviously, I’ll also be doing my ice baths with Kevin again, so I’ve bought something special to wear!”



Kevin Magnussen:

“It’s one of my favorite tracks. Street circuits are my favorite category of tracks and Singapore is a special one, the original night race. It’s one of the biggest challenges physically of the year, with only Qatar joining that list. With the heat and the humidity and the length of the race, and just because you never really get a break throughout the lap, it’s a constant sequence of corners over the whole lap pretty much. I feel like we have a good car for Singapore, it’s a low-speed track and we should be in a decent position to be competitive. There’s been some interesting races in the past, we scored in Singapore last year, so am hoping to do that again.”