Next weekend, the Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled. The first race on the Asian continent this season is generally considered one of the toughest races of the year. Over the past two weeks, the drivers were able to get ready and we saw bizarre training scenes in preparation for the race.

The last time the Formula 1 circus touched down in Singapore was in 2019. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the race was missing for the last two years, but this season the evening race has a place on the calendar again. Sebastian Vettel won the last edition of the race at Marina Bay, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen It is well known that the race at the Marina Bay Circuit is a pretty tough one. GPBlog lists why.

Challenging track

The layout of the track can be called challenging. The circuit is 5.063 kilometres long and consists of 23 corners and that 61 laps in a row. An additional factor is that it is a street circuit, just like in, say, Monaco, the drivers have to be extra focused because mistakes can be huge on this track.

High temperatures

Singapore is located just above the equator and therefore has a tropical climate. During the race, there are therefore high temperatures. At night, it is barely cooler than 24 degrees Celsius and during the day it can sometimes exceed 36 degrees Celsius. That combined with an average humidity of 86.5 per cent makes it often feel hot and clammy for the drivers. Moreover, due to the high humidity, the body struggles to dissipate heat in the form of sweat. This makes for exhausting conditions even before the drivers have boarded their cars. During the race, the drivers will have to keep this up for about two hours, which is why we see many drivers training in the sauna or otherwise trying to get used to the tropical climate in recent days.

Moisture loss

This year, it came out that some drivers did not use the hydration system during the races. The biggest reason was to reduce the weight of the car. In Singapore, the hydration system will be highly needed due to the tropical situation as no one wants and will run the risk of a fluid deficit.

The very hot conditions, with a circuit that has many corners: it all comes together during one of the spiciest races of the year in Singapore.