2025 Singapore Grand Prix: Fast Facts

After racing on the shores of the Caspian Sea, Formula 1 again tackles a street circuit, this time in the City-State of Singapore, just 140 kilometres North of the equator, the imaginary line that separates the northern and southern hemispheres.

The shift a long way south from Baku means a big change in two elements of the weather, namely humidity and temperature. The former is usually above 70%, while the temperature which remains more or less the same in winter and summer, fluctuates between 24 and 31°C. This makes the Singapore weekend one of the most physically demanding for the drivers, who can lose up to three kilos in weight during the race, aggravated by the twisty nature of the track which offers little respite when at the wheel.

The Singapore Grand Prix was the very first to be run entirely at night since its inception in 2008, with the race starting at 8pm local time. This means that everyone involved can effectively stay on European time, thus at least eliminating the problem of jet lag.

The Compounds

Pirelli has made no changes since last year for the dry weather compounds at the Marina Bay Circuit, with the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft. Although there exists the softer still C6, when the compounds for the second part of the season were announced during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, evaluations carried out before the summer break ruled out the softest tyre in the 2025 range, because the forces exerted on the tyres and the high temperatures at this event might have created some overheating issues. In fact, in this race, thermal stress is the main cause of tyre performance degradation.

Medium and Hard will clearly be the compounds of choice for the race, but the Soft could come into play for any driver wanting to make the most of its extra grip at the start, or if there’s a Safety Car period towards the end of the race. Modifications made to the track layout a couple of years ago mean overtaking is a bit easier, although obviously, it is still rather complicated to get past another car. Therefore, being able to call on the big performance difference between relatively new Softs and Mediums or Hards that have done many laps, could be a factor to bear in mind.

The Track

Marina Bay is one of the twistiest circuits on the calendar, its 4.940 kilometres featuring 19 corners since modifications made in 2023 reduced the number from 23. This was done by putting a 400 metre-long straight into the section after turn 16. The track surface has the same characteristics as the neighbouring city streets, with very low roughness, while the many road markings can pose an additional hazard in the rain. There is not much in the way of run-off areas and the barriers are very close, even though, in parts the track is actually quite wide.

There are four DRS zones, but as mentioned, overtaking is generally a rarity. The increase in the pit lane speed limit from 60 to 80 km/h should have a significant effect on strategy, with a one-stop almost obligatory.

Variables that are hard to predict include neutralisations and the weather, which at the Equator is highly changeable. Thunderstorms are far from uncommon and the rain can wash away the rubber laid down, which resets track conditions, thus influencing tyre performance.

The Stats

There have been 15 editions of the Singapore Grand Prix to date and in ten of them, or two thirds, the winner has started from pole position. It shows just how important is qualifying, especially if a comparison is made with Monaco where 46.48% of the races have been won from pole. Only in the very first year in 2008, has the winner come from a position lower than fifth. Fernando Alonso started from 15th, but that race featured a completely chaotic sequence of events.

The most successful driver in Singapore is Sebastian Vettel with five wins, followed by Lewis Hamilton on four. Seven drivers have shared all the wins here and four of them will be on track this weekend. Unusually, Max Verstappen is not one of them, as he is yet to break his duck at Marina Bay. Not only has he never won, he has never taken pole, although he has made it to the podium on three occasions. Of the teams, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull lead the way on four wins apiece.

When it comes to pole positions, Vettel and Hamilton top the table on four, with Ferrari the clear leader among the teams with seven. The German driver also has the most podium finishes on eight, ahead of Hamilton on seven and Alonso on five. Red Bull leads the teams with 15 ahead of Ferrari on 11, while Mercedes and McLaren are third equal on seven.

How to Watch the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix

Formula 1 fans around the globe can catch all the action from the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix through various broadcasters and streaming services.

In the United Kingdom, viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with comprehensive coverage of the practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself.

For fans in the United States, the Singapore Grand Prix will be available through ESPN and its associated channels. ESPN offers extensive coverage of F1, including live broadcasts and replays. Cord-cutters can also stream the race live through various over-the-top (OTT) services that carry ESPN channels.

Viewers in Australia can tune in to watch the Grand Prix weekend unfold live on Fox Sports, which offers complete coverage of F1 races. For online streaming, fans can subscribe to Kayo Sports, a streaming platform that includes all Fox Sports content.

Additionally, F1 TV Pro offers live streaming of every track session to viewers in many countries worldwide.

This subscription service provides access to onboard cameras, team radios, live timing, and more, for an immersive viewing experience.

Remember to check the local listings and services for the most up-to-date information regarding broadcast times and availability in your region.

Singapore Grand Prix Fast Facts

• The Singapore Grand Prix first appeared on the F1 calendar in 2008 and is known as the original “F1 night race”.
• In 2023, the circuit length was reduced from 5.063 km to 4.928 km and the number of laps of the Grand Prix increased from 61 to 62. Lap times were reduced by roughly 10 seconds due to the changes.
• The new layout was beneficial for the tyres; previously, they would begin to overheat towards the end of the lap, but the removal of four 90-degrees corners helped them stay closer to the optimum operating window.
• Track evolution is incredibly high in Singapore, given that it is a street circuit. The surface can ramp up by as much as three seconds between FP1 on Friday and Qualifying on Saturday evening.
• The Singapore Grand prix is one of the most physically demanding races of the season. The intense humidity, warm temperatures, combined with the stop/start nature of the track, make it very challenging.
• Due to these factors, drivers can lose around 5kg of weight during the race through sweating alone.
• That stop/start nature, with a requirement for constant re-acceleration, ensures the circuit has one of the biggest fuel effects of the year. In simple terms, that mean the amount of time you lose each lap is higher for every kilogram of extra fuel in the car.
• Owing to the large amount of time spent in corners, just over 50% of lap time is spent at full throttle – only Monaco and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico have lower amounts.
• The track is also very bumpy. That adds to the stress that the drivers and cars are put through – that is particularly true with these new generation cars that run lower to the ground.
• With a speed limit of 60 km/h, and a layout that feeds in at turn two, the total pitlane time is the highest of the season at 25 seconds.
• Marina Bay is one of two circuits on the calendar to have a 60 km/h pitlane speed limit, owing to its tight nature. The other is Monaco.
• Being a street track, it is no surprise that between 2008 and 2024 all 14 Singapore Grands Prix featured at least one Safety Car deployment.
• Sebastian Vettel won the Singapore Grand Prix three consecutive times for Red Bull Racing, taking the chequered flag in 2013 with a winning margin on 32.637 seconds – the largest in Marina Bay Circuit history.
• F1 ACADEMY will join the support bill for the second year in a row in Singapore, and this weekend could prove important for junior driver Doriane Pin as she looks to seal the 2025 title.