Lapping Singapore with Pierre Gasly

The unique Method 1 night time race, the Singapore Grand Prix has rapidly grow to be one of the crucial iconic occasions on the calendar since its inaugural working in 2008. A major bodily take a look at in addition to a driving one, your information to the Marina Bay Circuit is Pierre Gasly, who in 2023 secured a top-six end in Singapore for Alpine.

“I feel Singapore is certainly proper up there when it comes to trickiness and problem as a result of not solely is it a road observe, so it’s bumpy, however a few of the corners are fairly excessive velocity, and it’s by night time.

“I’d positively say road tracks usually are barely more difficult and this one has many corners, which makes for a really lengthy race. On prime of that it offers troublesome circumstances, with the physicality and the humidity, and so on. So when it comes to focus, it is also necessary to maintain your head cool till the top.

“Truthfully, I actually really feel the entire lap is necessary, there isn’t a one standout space that’s essentially the important thing. I imply, that complete first part of the observe, Flip 1, 2, 3, clearly as you decide to Flip 1 it then impacts the best way you are going to do Flip 3, in order that complete part is necessary.

“The part from Flip 10 is hard, too. After that you simply get the chicane the place you go over the bridge after which after that you’ve the hairpin, the place you’re turning earlier than braking – that nook can also be one which isn’t straightforward to nail. However they’re all fairly complicated, that is what I like about it.

“All the corners are fairly totally different round this observe. Even like the fitting hander at Flip 5 is sort of excessive velocity, it’s kind of bumpy – which isn’t good for our automotive – however it makes it very difficult.

“It is a road observe, so you have to take dangers – clearly measured dangers – however it positively will increase the adrenaline contained in the cockpit.

Gasly enjoys the very fact the Singapore circuit is a spot that calls for and rewards threat taking. Lionel Ng/Getty Photographs

“All vehicles are totally different, however I feel the difficult factor in relation to setup for us right here is the truth that it’s a compromise on journey versus downforce. In the event you focus extra on journey, for instance, you lose the downforce or doubtlessly lose extra grip.

“So then it is sort of like looking for the place is the advantageous line? You’ll be able to’t go too excessive on the journey and low cost the significance of nonetheless having a concentrate on the aero, or vice versa. Tires round right here are usually not straightforward both.

“Typically, it is the kind of observe the place, with our package deal, I do know it isn’t going to really feel nice. However as a racing driver, you have to really feel comfy in the long run. In order that’s positively going to be the important thing to the weekend.

“Truthfully, I adore it. It is only a problem. It is a road observe, you are millimeters from the partitions, the requirement for precision actually pushes you bodily and mentally, particularly in relation to preserving that focus.”

AT A GLANCE
Race distance: 62laps/190.3 miles
2024 pole time: 1m29.525s (Lando Norris, McLaren-Mercedes)
2024 winner: Lando Norris, McLaren-Mercedes
Pirelli tire allotment: Pirelli has made no adjustments since final 12 months for the dry climate compounds on the Marina Bay circuit, with the C3 because the Arduous, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Mushy.