2024 F1 Singapore Grand Prix Preview: Car and Driver Challenges

The 17th round of the 2024 F1 World Championship will be held this weekend at the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore.

Like Monaco, the short straights, tight corners, and bumpy surface mean that speeds are not very high, giving teams with slower cars a chance to win.

However, the track conditions make the Singapore GP one of the most difficult to reach an ideal car setup. The heat, humidity, and frequent stop-starts make the Singapore GP a challenging track for both cars and drivers.

The track was shortened before last year's race, with a particularly slow section between turns 16 and 19 replaced by a long straight that opens up overtaking possibilities. The current layout is just over 3 miles long, with 19 corners and 4 DRS zones. This change has reduced lap times by about 10 seconds.

Changeable weather can also be a problem in Singapore. The current forecast calls for rain for qualifying on Saturday and dry but cloudy conditions for the race on Sunday. Sunday's temperatures are expected to peak at about 90 degrees with 70% humidity.

Pirelli's tire nominations are the softest combination of C3, C4, and C5 compounds. The dirt on the racing lines, which are usually public roads, will be swept away and more rubber will be laid down on each lap, so teams will need to keep an eye on how the track evolves. Features such as manholes and white lines also alter grip levels.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari set the fastest time early in Friday practice, followed by McLaren's Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, also of Ferrari.

Heading into the weekend, Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen leads the 2024 drivers' championship with 313 points. Norris is second with 254 points and Leclerc is third with 235 points. McLaren leads the Constructors' Championship with 476 points. Red Bull is second with 456 points and Ferrari is third with 425 points. Last year's Singapore GP winner was Ferrari's Sainz.