This Sunday sees the return of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, following a forced two-year COVID-forced hiatus, and it’s expected to be a sell-out with the sport’s original night race a fan favourite. The spectacular Marina Bay event is a popular stop on F1’s global tour, with the world’s finest drivers threading the barriers at up to 320km/h, trackside parties, live performances from top international music artists, fantastic hospitality, and all of it in the heart of Singapore.
Since the inaugural event back in 2008, an average of 250,000 spectators have attended each year, with almost 400 million more watching on TV and devices across the world. So, 2022’s edition is expected to be a blockbuster with the F1 World Championship on the line and battles throughout the field. And in Singapore there’s zero room for error with just a single lapse in concentration sending a driver straight to the scene of the accident.
Here then, we reveal 10 special things that define the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, with 2022 marking the event’s 13th edition:
799,000sqm
Equivalent to 80 soccer fields, that’s the size of the Marina Bay Street Circuit. To prepare for F1’s original night race, a dedicated crew of over 4,000 people work around the clock for 22 weeks to set-up the temporary facilities, which comprise 2608 concrete barriers that line the track, 10 grandstands, numerous hospitality facilities, and nine entertainment stages.
92
The total number of live music performances set to thrill fans across nine stages at 2022’s event. The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is famous for bringing the hottest music acts trackside. And this year’s line-up is one of the best ever, with the headliners featuring DJ Marshmello, Westlife, Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, Suede, The Kid LAROI, and TLC.
1600
That’s the amount of lighting projectors needed to create one of the greatest spectacles in world sport. The bespoke, state-of-the-art system from Italian lighting specialists DZ Engineering has not only delivered optimal visibility for night racing conditions since 2008, but also wowed fans all over the world as the track is lit up against the city backdrop.
1min41.905
That’s all the time Danish star Kevin Magnussen needed back in 2018 to cover Singapore’s stunning 23-turn, 5.063km Marina Bay Street Circuit in his Ferrari-powered Haas F1 car, setting the timing screens alight as the event’s fastest lap. Can he do it again this year, or will it be broken by another race ace? There’s no doubt that F1’s new-for-2022 cars also look as stunning as they are fast.
61 Laps
That’s the total number of laps scheduled for the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022, equivalent to 308km, with the race usually hitting the maximum two-hour time limit. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who drives for Aston Martin and who will retire from the sport at the end of the season, is the most successful in Singapore with five wins. Seven-time F1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, who races for Mercedes, has four.
33,000
The number of plates served across the event in the Formula 1 Paddock Club, the ultimate experience at the heart of the sport, where teams and drivers host their SVIP guests. 2022 could be the best yet, with the who’s who of haute cuisine bringing their iconic dishes to the exclusive enclave. Megastars like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Matsuhisa Nobu, Wolfgang Puck, Neil Perry, and more.
700
That’s the sheer weight (in tonnes) of Formula 1 cargo, which is flown into the city-state on seven jumbo jets. This precious cargo from the teams, weighing the equivalent of 280 African elephants, includes the all-important cars. Shortly after which the teams’ advanced parties arrive to set up the garages.
3-4kg
This is the amount of fluid lost in sweat by F1 drivers during the often-two hour race, in which they’re under maximum physical stress, with temperatures in the cockpit reaching 60 degrees Celsius at racing speeds. To ensure the drivers retain concentration over the race distance, and keep cool under pressure – they put the hard yards in the gym pre-event, with more heat training once on the ground.
500
This is the number of FIA-accredited media who fly into Singapore every year to cover the event across broadcast (TV), print and digital. The 23-turn street track generally makes for great racing, with the F1 world championship on the line in 2022 between reigning world champion Max Verstappen, his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
3min 40sec
This is the exact duration of the now-traditional post-race fireworks display. It’s a performance that must be timed to perfection, triggered as the winner crosses the line to take the chequered flag. It’s then time for the F1 podium celebration, before heading over to the Padang stage to watch American punk legends Green Day close out the 2022 event.
The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 will be held from September 30 to October 2, with more information at singaporegp.sg
