Singapore Grand Prix facts for kids

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Singapore Grand Prix
Race information
Marina Bay Street Circuit (2023)

Number of times held	22
First held	1966
Most wins (drivers)	Sebastian Vettel (5)
Most wins (constructors)	Ferrari (5)
Circuit length	4.940 km (3.070 mi)
Race length	306.143 km (190.228 mi)
Laps	62
Last race (2023)
Pole position
Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1:30.984
Podium
1. C. Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1:46:37.418 2. L. Norris McLaren-Mercedes +0.812 3. L. Hamilton Mercedes +1.269
Fastest lap
Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:35.867

The Singapore Grand Prix is an exciting car race that is part of the Formula One World Championship. This special event takes place on the Marina Bay Street Circuit. It was the very first Formula One race held at night and the first street circuit designed for Formula One in Asia.

The first Singapore Grand Prix races happened from 1966 to 1973. They were held at a place called Thomson Road. The race then returned to the Formula One calendar in 2008 at Marina Bay. Fernando Alonso won the first modern Formula One race here for the Renault team. This race was also special because it was the 800th Formula One World Championship race ever.

The Marina Bay track is known for being very challenging. Almost every race has needed a safety car at some point. As of 2023, there have been 24 safety car periods in total! Sebastian Vettel has won the most times at this track, with five victories. The Singapore Grand Prix will stay on the Formula One calendar until at least 2028.

History of the Singapore Grand Prix

Early Races: Formula Libre

The first car race in Singapore was in 1961. It was called the Orient Year Grand Prix and took place at the Thomson Road Grand Prix circuit.

In 1966, after Singapore became an independent country, the race was renamed the Singapore Grand Prix. The event stopped after 1973 for several reasons. These included more traffic, the track being very dangerous, and the trouble of closing roads for the race. Sadly, there were also fatal accidents in the 1972 and 1973 races.

Formula One Era Begins

Laser show of Formula One cars on the Marina Bay Sands

In 2008, Singapore signed a five-year deal to bring Formula One racing back. The Singapore Tourism Board and Bernie Ecclestone helped make this happen. A company called Singtel became the main sponsor, so the race was officially called the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. The Singapore government helped pay for 60% of the costs.

About 110,000 tickets were available for Singapore's first Formula One race. All the tickets sold out! This showed how excited people were for the return of the Grand Prix.

2008: The First Night Race

The first race at the new Marina Bay Street Circuit was a big deal. It was the 15th race of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship. It was also the first-ever night race in Formula One history! Holding the race at night meant that TV viewers outside Asia could watch it at a good time. The track was lit up by special projectors.

Felipe Massa was the first driver to get pole position in Singapore. He led the race until a problem during a pit stop dropped him to last place. Fernando Alonso won the race for the Renault team.

Pole position: Felipe Massa (Ferrari) – 1:44.801
Race winner: Fernando Alonso (Renault) – 1:57:16.304 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) – 1:45.599

2009: Changes and a New Winner

For the 2009 race, the track was changed a little. Turns 1, 2, and 3 were updated to make overtaking easier. Turn 10 was also changed because high kerbs caused many accidents in 2008. McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton took pole position and won the race. Timo Glock finished second for Toyota, and Fernando Alonso was third for Renault.

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) – 1:47.891
Race winner: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) – 1:56:06.337 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:48.240

2010: Alonso's Second Win

Fernando Alonso became the first driver to win the Singapore Grand Prix twice. He was now driving for Ferrari. He started from pole position and held off Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel to win his 25th Formula One race. Michael Schumacher, who had returned to F1 in 2010, finished 13th.

Pole position: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) – 1:45.390
Race winner: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) – 1:57:53.579 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) – 1:47.976

2011: Vettel Dominates

Sebastian Vettel was having an amazing year in 2011. He had already won eight races before Singapore. He won the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position, which was his 11th pole of the season. Vettel, Button, Webber, Alonso, and Hamilton were the top five finishers.

Pole position: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 1:44.381
Race winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 1:59:06.757 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Jenson Button (McLaren) – 1:48.454

2012: Vettel Wins Again

In September 2012, it was announced that the Singapore Grand Prix would stay on the Formula One calendar until 2017. Lewis Hamilton got his fifth pole position of the season for McLaren. However, he had to stop racing due to gearbox problems. Sebastian Vettel then took the lead and won the race. He dedicated his win to Sid Watkins, a famous F1 doctor who had recently passed away.

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) – 1:46.362
Race winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 2:00:26.144 (59 laps)
Fastest lap: Nico Hülkenberg (Force India) – 1:51.033

2013: Vettel's Third Straight Win

Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull RB9 car in 2013.

For the 2013 race, a part of the track called the "Singapore Sling" chicane (a series of tight turns) was changed. Cars would now go through a flowing left turn before speeding up towards the Anderson Bridge.

Sebastian Vettel won his third Singapore Grand Prix in a row for Red Bull. He started from pole position and won by over half a minute. Fernando Alonso finished on the podium and famously gave Mark Webber a ride back to the pits after Webber's car caught fire.

Pole position: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 1:42.841
Race winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 1:59:13.132 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 1:48.574

2014: Hamilton Takes the Win

In 2014, Singapore Airlines became the new sponsor for the Singapore Grand Prix. This year also saw new turbo-charged, hybrid-powered cars in F1. Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton won his seventh race of the year, becoming the third driver to win multiple times in Singapore. His teammate Nico Rosberg had to retire due to technical problems. Sebastian Vettel finished second, and Daniel Ricciardo was third.

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:45.681
Race winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 2:00:04.795 (60 laps)
Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:50.417

2015: Vettel's Fourth Victory

Sebastian Vettel took his first pole position for Ferrari and then won his fourth race at Marina Bay. Lewis Hamilton had to retire from the race due to an electrical problem. Daniel Ricciardo finished second. During the race, a spectator got onto the track, causing the safety car to come out. The man was later arrested.

Pole position: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) – 1:43.885
Race winner: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) – 2:01:22.118 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) – 1:50.041

2016: Rosberg's Milestone Win

This race was Nico Rosberg's 200th Grand Prix start. He was battling his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton for the championship. Rosberg took pole position and won the race, holding off Daniel Ricciardo. Hamilton finished third. Rosberg went on to win the championship that year.

Pole position: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) – 1:42.584
Race winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) – 1:55:48.950 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) – 1:47.187

2017: Hamilton Extends His Lead

Before the 2017 race, the Singapore Grand Prix announced an extension to keep the race until 2021. This race was very important for the championship. Pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel was involved in a crash at the first corner with his Ferrari teammate Kimi Räikkönen and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. All three drivers had to retire. Lewis Hamilton, Vettel's main rival, took full advantage. He won the race from 5th place, increasing his championship lead.

Pole position: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) – 1:39.491
Race winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 2:03:23.544 (58 laps)
Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:45.008

2018: Hamilton's Dominance Continues

Lewis Hamilton took pole position in Singapore, ahead of Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel. At the start, there was an incident between two Racing Point Force India drivers, Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon, which led to Ocon retiring. Hamilton went on to win the race, with Verstappen second and Vettel third. This win helped Hamilton increase his championship lead.

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:36.015
Race winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:51:11.611 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Kevin Magnussen (Haas) – 1:41.905

2019: Vettel's Last Win

Charles Leclerc took pole position for Ferrari. After pit stops, Sebastian Vettel took the lead from Leclerc and eventually won the race. For a short time, Antonio Giovinazzi even led the race for Alfa Romeo. Three safety cars were needed during the race due to cars retiring. The podium was Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen. This was Ferrari's first 1-2 finish (first and second place) since 2017. This was also Sebastian Vettel's last career race win.

Pole position: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:36.217
Race winner: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) – 1:58:33.667 (61 laps)
Fastest lap: Kevin Magnussen (Haas) – 1:42.301

2020–2021: Races Cancelled

The Singapore Grand Prix races in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled. This was because of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the travel rules in Singapore at the time.

2022: Return to Racing

On January 27, 2022, the contract for the Singapore Grand Prix was extended until 2028. Sergio Pérez won the race for Red Bull.

Pole position: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:49.412
Race winner: Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) – 2:02:20.238 (59 laps)
Fastest lap: George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:46.458

2023: Track Changes and New Record

The Grand Prix track had some big changes in 2023. Turns 16 to 19 were removed to make way for a new construction project. Instead, there was a new straight section. This change made the lap times about ten seconds faster, and the number of laps increased from 61 to 62. The race was expected to finish in about an hour and a half, unlike previous years which often lasted close to the two-hour time limit.

Carlos Sainz Jr. won the race for Ferrari, setting an All Time Lap Record in qualifying. Lewis Hamilton set the Official Lap Record during the race.

Pole position: Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) – 1:30.984 All Time Lap Record
Race winner: Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) – 1:46:37.418 (62 laps)
Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:35.867 Official Lap Record

2024: Upcoming Race

The next Singapore Grand Prix is planned for September 20-22.

Understanding the Track

The Marina Bay Street Circuit is a very twisty track. It is one of the slowest in Formula One when cars run at normal race speeds. Because it's a street circuit, the walls are very close to the cars. This often leads to safety cars being deployed, which makes the race longer, sometimes close to the two-hour time limit.

The race is a huge test for both the drivers and their cars. It has many 90-degree turns and quick changes in direction. Drivers usually try to overtake at the end of the first section, where cars reach their highest speeds. There are some runoff areas (spaces for cars to slow down if they go off track), but they are quite short for Formula One standards. Winning here depends a lot on a driver's experience and skill.

Drivers often say the Singapore Grand Prix is the “toughest race of the Formula 1 calendar.” This is because of several things:

High Heat and Humidity: Singapore's climate means drivers sweat a lot and lose fluids.
Many Corners: The track has 19 corners, which means constant turning and braking.
Little Room for Error: Being a street circuit, there isn't much space if a driver makes a mistake.
Long Race Time: Races often last almost the full two-hour time limit, making it an endurance challenge.

Who Attends the Race?

Year	Average Daily Attendance	Total attendance (Three-Day)
2008	100,000	300,000
2009	83,000	249,000
2010	81,350	244,050
2011	82,500	247,500
2012	84,317	252,951
2013	87,509	262,527
2014	84,454	253,362
2015	86,970	260,912
2016	73,000	218,824
2017	86,800	260,400
2018	87,666	263,000
2019	89,333	268,000
2022	100,667	302,000
2023	88,036	264,108

Race Winners

Drivers with Multiple Wins

Drivers in bold are racing in Formula One this season.
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Wins	Driver	Years won
5	Sebastian Vettel	2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019
4	Lewis Hamilton	2009, 2014, 2017, 2018
3	Graeme Lawrence	1969, 1970, 1971
2	Fernando Alonso	2008, 2010
Sources:

Teams with Multiple Wins

Teams in bold are racing in Formula One this season.
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Wins	Constructor	Years won
5	Ferrari	1970, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2023
4	Red Bull	2011, 2012, 2013, 2022
4	Mercedes	2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
2	McLaren	1969, 2009
Sources:

Engine Manufacturers with Multiple Wins

Manufacturers in bold are racing in Formula One this season.
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Wins	Manufacturer	Years won
5	Ford *	1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971
	Ferrari	1970, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2023
	Mercedes	2009, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
4	Renault	2008, 2011, 2012, 2013
Sources:

* Built by Cosworth

Winners by Year

A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Year	Driver	Constructor	Class	Location	Report
1966	Lee Han Seng	Lotus-Ford	Formula Libre	Thomson Road	Report
1967	Rodney Seow	Merlyn–Ford	Formula Libre		Report
1968	Garrie Cooper	Elfin–Ford	Formula Libre		Report
1969	Graeme Lawrence	McLaren-Ford	Formula Libre		Report
1970	Graeme Lawrence	Ferrari	Formula Libre		Report
1971	Graeme Lawrence	Brabham-Ford	Formula Libre		Report
1972	Max Stewart	Mildren-Ford	Formula Libre		Report
1973	Vern Schuppan	March-Hart	Formula Libre		Report
1974 – 2007	Not held
2008	Fernando Alonso	Renault	Formula One	Marina Bay	Report
2009	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	Formula One		Report
2010	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Formula One		Report
2011	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	Formula One		Report
2012	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	Formula One		Report
2013	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	Formula One		Report
2014	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	Formula One		Report
2015	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	Formula One		Report
2016	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	Formula One		Report
2017	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	Formula One		Report
2018	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	Formula One		Report
2019	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	Formula One		Report
2020 – 2021	Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull-RBPT	Formula One	Marina Bay	Report
2023	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Ferrari	Formula One	Marina Bay	Report
Sources: