After the conclusion of the 2022 F1 Esports Series Pro Championship Event 1 in Silverstone, England, the spotlight returns to the physical track. This time, all eyes are on the original F1 Night Race, a welcome fixture after a two-year pandemic-enforced absence. Global fans are flocking en masse to catch the floodlit race through Singapore’s streets, while drivers are licking their lips in anticipation of returning to the little red dot.
But what can we expect out of the weekend extravaganza? Here are the three main talking points as we begin the run up to the Singapore Grand Prix 2022:
Title Win in Singapore?
No one has ever won the title in Singapore, but this could change in 2022! Dutchman Max Verstappen heads into the 17th race of the 2022 season with 335 points, a massive 116 points ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and 125 points ahead of his Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez in the drivers' standings.
With a maximum of 138 points on offer over the final five races, all Verstappen needs to wrap up the title in Singapore is to outscore Leclerc by 22 points, Perez by 13 and Mercedes’ George Russell by six. The permutations that would allow this is listed below:
|
Verstappen |
Leclerc |
Perez |
|
1st |
9th or lower |
4th or lower without Fastest Lap / 5th or lower with Fastest Lap |
|
1st (with Fastest Lap) |
8th or lower |
4th or lower |
Image Credit: Singapore GP Pte. Ltd
Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have been the undisputed poster boys for F1 over the last decade. They lead the pack in the number of wins in Singapore, with 5 and 4 respectively.
Defending champion Vettel announced earlier in July that he would be retiring at the end of the season, so it would make for a beautiful end to his glorious career were he to seal his dominance during his final bow in Southeast Asia.
Hamilton, on the other hand, has yet to win a race ahead of Singapore and is in danger of going winless for the first time in his 16-year F1 career. That said, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the team’s simulations indicate the Singapore circuit should suit their W13. Hamilton himself recovered from a penalised 19th on the grid to take fifth place in the last race, so it would be too early to write off the seven-time world champion.
The Marina Bay circuit already has a reputation of being one of F1’s toughest races, with its tight and twisty sections, 23 corners (some of which are 90 degrees), and the close proximity of the walls.
As the first street track that F1 has visited since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June, this will be especially punishing given the stiffer suspension used by the current generation of cars. Every single one of the 12 races held at Marina Bay has featured a safety car, which has been shown to be able to make or break a driver’s race.
It will be especially trying for the strategists on the pit wall. They will have to stay alert and be on their toes. A failure to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances can be devastating for the team over the 61-lap race.
Excitement is high for F1’s long-awaited return to the Singapore streets after a 2-year hiatus. Caught FOMO? Don’t miss the buzz and get ready for the motor racing extravaganza this weekend!