1 600 floodlights and a stunning backdrop - F1's original night race returns after hiatus
Singapore first hosted a Formula 1 race in 2008. That year, 1 600 custom floodlights were positioned around the 5.063km street circuit, making the track four times brighter than a rugby game at your favourite stadium. It was impressive and continued to impress over the next 11 years.
In 2020 and 2021, Covid-19 prevented the F1 Circus from visiting this Asian destination, but its return to the F1 calendar is imminent as the country will host its 13th race around the Marina Bay Circuit.
The race is run over 61 laps for a total race distance of 308.706km. In 2018, Kevin Magnussen, driving his Haas, set the race lap record: 1:41.905. Though this year's cars could prove trickier to drive around the Singapore streets, an improvement on the lap record should not be discounted when Sunday's race comes around.
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What you should know
The city of Singapore's skyline acts as the race's backdrop. Under the night sky, and with the floodlights beaming at full capacity, it creates one of the most unique themes across the entire F1 season. Herman Tilke, a longtime designer of F1 racetracks, penned the plan for the initial circuit.
The circuit's 23 corners pose an inimitable challenge to the drivers, and they can lose up to 3kg in the race's two-hour running time.
When the race debuted in 2008, it was Ferrari's Felipe Massa who looked poised to secure the victory. However, drama on Lap 12 saw him exit his pit box with the fuel hose still firmly attached to his car, relegating him to 13th when the chequered flag dropped.
READ: F1 Gold | How a stuck fuel pipe dashed Felipe