In 2008, the lights went green in Singapore for the first time. From that year, Formula 1 visited the city-state every year until 2019. In 2020 and 2021, it was not possible to race in Singapore due to the coronavirus pandemic, after which Formula 1 returned to its familiar venue in 2022.
Features of the circuit
The five-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit is located in Marina Bay of the same name. The Start/finish straight is by the water, it is a section made especially for racing. After the first three corners, drivers enter the public road and, via Raffles Boulevard, arrive at the track's best overtaking opportunity.
A few corners further on is the tightest point on the track. Previously, this was the section with the so-called 'Singapore Sling': a combination of left, right, left where many a driver made mistakes. Nowadays, it is a tight left turn followed by a chicane. This way, cars cannot cross the Anderson Bridge side by side. Towards the end of the lap, drivers race under the biggest grandstand there.
Iconic races
The first race in 2008 was immediately a moment to remember. That year, Fernando Alonso managed to win the race in a Renault after a lucky safety car. That lucky safety car turned out to be not so coincidental a year later, as Nelson Piquet Jr. admitted that he drove the car into the wall on purpose so that Alonso would have a better chance of winning.
2017 marked the first time the race started in rainy conditions. Because the race was held at night and thus there was no sun, the track dried with difficulty. Things went wrong at the start when Max Verstappen was sandwiched by the two Ferraris. All three drivers crashed out and they also took Alonso with them. The 2019 edition was another very exciting race and also the last time we saw Sebastian Vettel in Ferrari red on the top step of the podium.
