Drivers describe "challenging" conditions for the "demanding" Singapore GP
F1 News
All the Formula 1 drivers across the grid are in total agreement, as they speak about the Singapore Grand Prix being one of the toughest races they have in the season. It's a race that is so physically demanding that they need to specially prepare for the red-hot temperatures and the sweltering humidity during the Singapore night. In the paddock at the Marina Bay Circuit on Thursday, many drivers expressed the challenges they will face across the weekend.
Drivers prepare for the "relentless" Marina Bay Circuit
With average temperatures reaching 31 degrees Celsius for the month of September, along with an average of 82% humidity, the event has tested drivers to the absolute limit for many years. The many corners of the Marina Bay Circuit also require the drivers to make sure their attention is razor-sharp in hot and humid conditions, adding another layer to this race.
Fernando Alonso, who will be making his 14th start in the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, including the infamous 'Crashgate' win in 2008, still highlights the challenges this race possesses: "The walls will be the limitation here, and it's probably the most demanding race, physically, of the championships. So keep the level of focus very high throughout the race."
Nico Hulkenberg is also no stranger to a Singapore Grand Prix after many years in the world of F1, but he agrees with the Spaniard that Singapore will be tough, but the Qatar Grand Prix in similar conditions will be just as tough: "I think Qatar last year was the ultimate challenge, the ultimate race. Obviously, it was hot, but then on race Sunday, last year, the humidity also ramped up a lot which made things very difficult. Ask Fernando, I think it will be a benchmark for a while now along with Singapore!"
The same question was also posed to Mercedes driver George Russell, and he said the exact same as Alonso and Hulkenberg before: "It's the top two, here and Qatar are by far the most physical races. I think here it's challenging because there are so many corners, pretty relentless. Slightly easier now that we've got that straight at the back versus what it was like a few years ago. But just with the humidity or dripping in sweat as soon as you go outside, let alone when you're locked in a race car for two hours."
But how early do drivers prepare for a race so gruelling? Russell answered: "The training during the summer break. I was back training the last week of the summer break, and that's purely getting ready for Singapore. That's by far the biggest outlier because you're just dealing with something very different, which is the heat. We are also powering through in our fireproofs in the car for two hours. So it's definitely quite a challenge."