Singapore Grand Prix »
Marina Bay Street Circuit
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The Singapore Grand Prix, the Monaco of the East, is one of the slowest of the season as an abundance of first and second-gear bends weave their way through the Marina Bay area of the city. The result is an average lap speed of just 175 km/h (108mph) although top speeds approach 297 km/h (185 mph) down Raffles Boulevard. However its claim to fame is as Formula One's first night race, illuminated by its state-of-the-art, temporary floodlight system that is installed in the week leading up to each race. The lighting system is an achievement in itself with 1600 lighting projectors spread 4 metres apart and suspended 10 metres above the track.
The 90-degree left at Turn 7, approached down the circuit's longest straight is seen as the best place for overtaking but like Monaco, overtaking is severely limited. Overall, the Marina Bay Circuit is a very demanding circuit, not least because of the large number of turns it packs into a lap.
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As with Monaco, tyres and aerodynamics are the key factors at the Marina Bay Circuit. Grip levels are initially low, improving throughout the weekend as rubber is laid down whilst the large number of low-gear corners mean the team will run with a high downforce package to give the car good stability under braking and in order to maximise traction out of the corners.
The circuit is quite demanding on the brakes, due not so much to the severity of the braking but rather the regularity, with little respite to allow cooling. However, the low use of full throttle means the engines have a relatively stress-free weekend although the stop-start nature of the layout can cause issues. It's all about getting the most from the engine with closely-spaced gears to optimise acceleration and engine mapping aimed at delivering good torque at low revs, allowing early throttle application.
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Overview
| Circuit Length: |
5.067 km (3.148 miles) |
| Race Length: |
61 laps (309.1 km, 192 miles) |
| Circuit Type: |
Street circuit |
| Direction: |
Anti-clockwise |
| Corners: |
24 (10 right-hand and
14 left-hand corners) |
| Elevation Change: |
Minimal |
| Run-off Area: |
Small |
| Maximum G-Force: |
3.0 G |
| Joined Calendar: |
2008 |
| Lap Record: |
1:45.599 (Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari, 2008) |
| Av. Temperature: |
30°C |
| Typical Weather: |
Warm, humid |
| Altitude: |
4 m AMSL |
| Official Website: |
External link |
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High
50%
2.46 kg/5km
Soft / 
Supersoft