0.5 meters per second (1.2 miles per hour) from (350°)
Temperature
26 °C (79 °F), with a dew-point at 25 °C (77 °F)
Temperature feels like 28 °C (83 °F)
Pressure
1009 hPa (29.80 inHg ).
Humidity
94.2%
Clouds
at a height of 549 meters (1800 feet) and at a height of 10668 meters (35000 feet)
Visibility
greater than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)
The Marina Bay Grand Prix is obviously most notable for being the first and only night race in Formula One Racing. The best corner on the track is said to be Turn 7. Turn 5 opens out and speed builds thereafter along the fastest section of the track: 290 km/h. Even so, Turn 6 is flat out. The best overtaking spot though is Turn 8. After scrabbling for traction on the exit of Turn 7, a squirt of power will hustle the car into T8, a 90 right that will require a heavy dab of brakes. Expect a lot of hustle and bustle.
Track Information
Track Name
MARINA BAY STREET CIRCUIT
Length
5.067 KM
Race Length
61 LAPS (309.1KM)
LAP Record
KIMI RAIKKONEN 1:45:599 (2008)
Number Of Turns
23
Track Direction
ANTI-CLOCKWISE
Downforce Level
HIGH
No Of Gear Changes Per Lap
68
Average Speed
175 KPH
Highest Speed
291 KPH
Throttle % Per Lap
48%
Brake Wear
HIGH
Tyre Wear
HIGH
Tyre Compounds Available
SUPERSOFT AND SOFT
2009 Winner
1. LEWIS HAMILTON, Mc LAREN-MERCEDES, 1:56:06.337
2. TIMO GLOCK, TOYOTA, +9.6 SECS
3. FERNANDO ALONSO, RENAULT, +16.6 SECS
The Singapore Grand Prix is the first hop of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship’s final furlong, which features four flyaway races. The tiny island nation hosted its first Grand Prix last year, much to the acclaim of fans and teams who relished the excellent facilities, electric atmosphere and challenging - albeit highly photogenic - circuit.
The track runs through the city’s marina area on a 5.067km temporary street course that runs down Raffles Boulevard and over the mouth of the Singapore river past City Hall into Raffles Avenue, home to luxury hotels and imposing skyscrapers. Uniquely, the race takes place under cover of darkness with the track illuminated by heavy-duty football pitch-style floodlights, the first and only round of the series to be run entirely at night.
ADRIAN’S View
Singapore is a real street circuit, like a cross between Valencia and Monaco. Some parts are very safe with plenty of run off - particularly in turn 1, 2 and 3 - but there are a lot of corners so it’s challenging to drive. Racing under the lights is absolutely fine. Last year they were very bright so although it felt like you were driving at night it was very clear to see.
Corner one is actually a complex together with two and three so it’s important to get it right. It’s a classic complex but it’s easy to lock up there with quite high kerbs on the inside. Into turn five there is space for the entry but then it tightens into the apex. Then we go into a tunnel section. There were lots of bumps last year but I think they will be much better this year. Into turn seven, one of the highest breaking areas and one of the few parts you can try and overtake, we shift down to second gear. Then it goes left and right into turn eight, one of the slowest corners of the circuit, then another complex. You need a good exit out of turn nine onto the next straight before the tricky chicane. The kerbs were very high there last year so it was easy to launch the car and have no control. We saw a few accidents there. Turn 12 is just acceleration over the bridge while turn 13 is very slow corner where you have to brake while turning and concentrate on the exit for good straight line speed into turn 14. Turns 16 to 21 are very similar - braking, then turn in and all look pretty much the same, before we go to the start-finish straight. The only difficulty there is not to be too early on the power as you can run too far over the kerbs on the outside that carries you out on to the green and you lose time.
