In Numbers: 10 Singapore Statistics

The Marina Bay Street Circuit is welcoming us back to F1 racing after the sun has set.

Even though there are now multiple races under the night sky, there's something undeniably special about seeing the cars speed around Singapore, the sport's first night race.

From monsoons to dragons, we've seen a lot happen over the years in the city-state, so here are 10 Singapore stats to get you in the mood for Sunday.

Last year's race had the removal of Turns 16-19 to change the tight and twisty final sector into a high-speed end to the lap.

The removal of those four corners turned the track into a 19-turn circuit rather than 23, but this 2024 will be even faster as there will be a fourth DRS zone after Turn 14.

That makes Singapore tie with Australia's record for the most DRS zones in a single circuit on the calendar.

While more DRS zones should see overtaking be a little easier than in previous seasons, there is a change that will slow down the strategy.

The pit lane speed limit has reduced from 80 km/h to 60 km/h, meaning any tyre change in the race will see a longer time for our drivers not running at full racing speeds. Timing a pit stop right will be more critical than ever.

Another 60 to remember is the toasty temperature inside the cockpit that our drivers have to contend with when racing around the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Peaking around 60°C in the race, it's comparable to sitting in a sauna, and every weekend here sees F1's 20 pilots trying to avoid overheating by trying things like ice baths and wearing cooling vests.

Most helicopter shots of the track around the pit lane will feature the unmissable Singapore Flyer, the city's 165 m Ferris wheel.

Offering unique views of the circuit from continually changing heights, the Singapore Flyer was the world's largest big wheel when it opened in 2008.

Although it's a dubious accolade to hold, the Marina Bay Street Circuit is the only track F1 visits to boast a 100% Safety Car appearance rate in its 14 years of running. With 24 Safety Cars in those races, that's an average of 1.71 per race!

However, the sport is currently on an eight-race run without Bernd Mayländer leading the pack. Which streak will end on Sunday?

Our eyes will be fully focussed on the race to maximise Alex and Franco's results in Qualifying and the Grand Prix, but there is always a lot more than racing happening at a Singapore GP.

The city turns into an entertainment festival and 2024 is no different, with some 44 acts appearing over the weekend to thrill fans, including Kylie Minogue, Lenny Kravitz, OneRepublic, and Thirty Seconds to Mars.

We've had five races here that have hit F1's two-hour limit for a Grand Prix, with 2022 being the most recent example of a race running to a timer rather than a lap count.

Combining frequent Safety Cars and relatively low average speeds means Singapore is usually the race that takes the longest to finish.

Although 2023's track changes have reduced the lap time, last year's race was still only 13 minutes away from hitting the time limit.

Wet weather can surprise Singapore seemingly at any moment and forecasts often show rain or storms set to hit the city.

The 2022 Singapore GP suffered a 65-minute delay to the start of its race after a sudden thunderstorm before lights out, and was only the second race at Marina Bay to feature rain after 2017's chaotic event.

F1 cars are now the only vehicular traffic to cross the 70 m length of the Anderson Bridge between Turns 12 and 13.

Now a National Monument of Singapore, the bridge that spans the Singapore River became pedestrianised in late 2021 to allow only foot traffic and bicycles.

Williams Racing have scored 42 points at the Singapore GP since it joined the calendar in 2008, with Nico Rosberg's P2 in the maiden race being our best finish.

Lance Stroll's P8 finish in 2017 saw our last top-10 finish here, though the two-year gap during the pandemic halted any chance of points in 2020 and 2021.

Alex narrowly missed out on scoring with his P11 last year after a sublime drive that went unrewarded after Sergio Perez hit our No23 on Lap 58 of 62.

We are on a two-race point-scoring run right now, though, so could redemption come in the 2024 Singapore GP? Join us here all weekend to see how both Williams Racing cars fare.