Singapore is considered the most difficult event on the F1 calendar; Max Verstappen has yet to win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit; watch all the Singapore GP practice live on Sky Sports F1, the race starts at 1pm on Friday Sunday. Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Nico Rosberg reveals the extreme physical challenge the drivers faced at the Singapore race weekend.
Formula 1 is tough at the best of times, but the Singapore Grand Prix is the most physically demanding event on the calendar and has produced some excellent performances. Since 2008, F1 has raced under the lights at the Marina Bay Street circuit. Being a street course, riding close to the walls usually means going faster. But it’s so easy to cross the line and hit the wall.
Red Bull remain unbeaten in 2023, with Max Verstappen on an unprecedented 10-game winning streak. The biggest reason for this incredible success is because of Red Bull’s mistakes, or lack of them, because they acted brilliantly. But if there’s any song they could be kicked out of, it’s Singapore. In fact, it all went wrong for Verstappen in qualifying and the Grand Prix last year, so can he make up for it in 12 months? Why didn’t Verstappen win in Singapore? Red Bull generally didn’t have a car to win in Singapore, which is the main reason Verstappen didn’t win there.
In 2017, the Dutchman started on the front row, but was sandwiched between the Ferrari pair of Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel when running under one corner. A year later, Lewis Hamilton produced an excellent Q3 lap to grab pole position and lead the race away from Verstappen, who had to settle for second place. Ferrari surprisingly took the first two in 2019, Verstappen third and the Covid-19 pandemic meant the Singapore Grand Prix did not take place for the next two years.
Max Verstappen had a weekend to forget in Singapore last year after a low-fuel error in qualifying and a mis-ridden race in which he finished seventh. Verstappen was a hot favorite last season, but a series of mistakes in Q3 meant he started eighth. Verstappen looked unbeaten in the first two parts of qualifying, driving his penultimate lap in Q3 to be the last driver over the line, but was then told to pit on the final lap for insufficient fuel.
Both flights were enough for half. In the race, he tried to pass Lando Norris at Turn 7, but locked up heavily and had to pit for new tires, finishing seventh. “Like you’re in a sauna with a spinning wheel” Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc are trying to recover from last year’s Singapore GP All the riders say that Singapore is the most difficult event of the year because of the heat, humidity and demanding track. It’s so hot that the drivers’ cold drink turns into hot tea after just a few laps. 2016 Singapore Grand Prix winner Nico Rosberg describes the intensity of the toughest race on the calendar.
“I would lose eight kilograms (3.6 kg) from sweating. It’s like sitting in a ski suit on tarmac which is 45 degrees. Then you have petrol behind you which is 65 degrees, so it’s very hot,” Rosberg said on the show. . There’s no fresh air, the seat belts are really tight and the carbon fiber seat is molded to the body, so you can’t breathe properly.
Ted Kravitz discusses sustainable fuel coming to F1 in 2026. “Corner after corner where you have to hold your breath in the corners, you can’t breathe in the corners because you’re holding your breath. “I remember after 10 laps I was looking the pit board and it said ’50 laps left. ‘ and I thought ‘I’m done’.
I have 10 laps to go and 50 to go. It’s so terrible in the car, like two hours in a sauna on a spinning bike. “The head starts pumping inside the helmet, sweat runs into the eyes and burns. It’s incredibly difficult.”
