F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2026: Start time, schedule, Sprint and how to watch

Formula 1 heads to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for its next race this weekend as the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix adds a new twist to the famous night race.

Singapore will host an F1 Sprint for the first time, leaving drivers with just one practice session before they head into Sprint Qualifying on Friday evening.

The Sprint follows on Saturday before qualifying for the Grand Prix, while the main race takes place on Sunday October 11 at 8pm local time, or 1pm BST for fans in the UK.

Here are all the start times, TV details, weather information and everything else you need to know about the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix.

Singapore GP 2026 at a glance:

F1 SPRINT RACES: How the shorter format works in 2026

Singapore GP 2026 schedule and UK start times

The Sprint format means F1 fans will have competitive track action on all three days in Singapore.

Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying take place on Friday, before the Sprint and qualifying for the Grand Prix on Saturday. Sunday's race then completes the weekend.

Here is the full 2026 Singapore GP F1 schedule:

What time is the Singapore Grand Prix in the UK?

The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix starts at 1pm BST on Sunday October 11.

Sky Sports' race build-up is scheduled to begin at 11:30am BST before lights out at 1pm.

What time is Singapore GP qualifying?

Qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix starts at 2pm BST on Saturday October 10, which is 9pm local time in Singapore.

This session - rather than the Sprint - will determine the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.

What time is the F1 Sprint in Singapore?

The first F1 Sprint held in Singapore starts at 10am BST on Saturday October 10, or 5pm local time.

Sprint Qualifying, which determines the grid for the Sprint, takes place at 1:30pm BST on Friday.

How to watch the Singapore GP: TV channel and live stream

Fans in the UK will be able to watch every F1 session from Singapore live on Sky Sports.

How to watch the Singapore GP in the UK

TV channel: Sky Sports F1
Live stream: Sky Sports app and NOW
Race build-up: 11:30am BST on Sunday
Race start: 1pm BST on Sunday

Sky Sports F1 coverage begins at 9am BST ahead of Friday's sole practice session, with Sprint Qualifying coverage beginning at 1pm.

Saturday's Sprint build-up begins at 9am ahead of its 10am start, while Grand Prix qualifying starts at 2pm.

Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of the race later on Sunday October 11 as well as Qualifying highlights on Saturday October 10.

Why is there an F1 Sprint at the Singapore Grand Prix?

Singapore has been selected as one of six Sprint venues on the 2026 F1 calendar and will stage the shorter race format for the first time. It creates a very different challenge at Marina Bay.

Instead of the usual three practice sessions before qualifying, teams and drivers have only one hour of practice on Friday before the competitive portion of the weekend begins.

Sprint Qualifying follows on Friday evening and determines the starting order for Saturday's 100km Sprint.

The top eight finishers in the Sprint score championship points, with eight points awarded to the winner and one point for eighth place.

Grand Prix qualifying then takes place separately on Saturday night before the main race on Sunday.

That compressed schedule could prove particularly significant at Marina Bay, where drivers usually rely on practice time to build confidence around one of the most unforgiving circuits on the calendar.

Does the Singapore Sprint decide the starting grid for the Grand Prix?

No it does not - Sprint Qualifying sets the grid only for Saturday's Sprint, while the result of the Sprint does not determine the starting order for Sunday's Grand Prix.

A separate qualifying session takes place at 2pm BST on Saturday, and that session determines the grid for Sunday's race.

What is the latest F1 championship situation?

Kimi Antonelli arrives in Singapore with a commanding lead in the 2026 F1 drivers' championship after extending his advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell in Malaysia.

Antonelli finished second behind Max Verstappen in the relocated and rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, while Russell suffered a late power-unit failure when on course to finish third.

That leaves Antonelli 84 points clear of Russell heading into Singapore.

Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Singapore?

No, Antonelli cannot secure the 2026 F1 drivers' championship in Singapore.

However, the Sprint format means there are more points available than on a conventional Grand Prix weekend, giving the Mercedes star an opportunity to take another significant step towards the title.

The championship picture could therefore change twice this weekend, with points available in Saturday's Sprint as well as the main race.

READ MORE: F1 World Champions: The full list from Farina to new king Lando Norris

Singapore GP weather forecast

Weather can play a major role in Singapore, where high temperatures and humidity combine with the possibility of tropical downpours.

Current forecasts suggest Friday and Saturday could remain dry, but there is already a threat of thunderstorms around Sunday's Grand Prix.

Temperatures are expected to remain high throughout the weekend, reaching around 28C to 33C.

Forecast last updated: Monday October 5

Friday weather: Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying

Current forecasts indicate dry conditions for Friday's running in Singapore.

Temperatures are expected to remain high, meaning heat and humidity will still present a significant challenge despite the sessions taking place later in the day.

Saturday weather: Sprint and qualifying

Saturday is also currently expected to remain dry, although forecasts in Singapore can change quickly.

That would give teams relatively stable conditions for the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying.

Sunday weather: Singapore Grand Prix

The picture is much more interesting on Sunday, with thunderstorms currently forecast around race day.

Any significant rainfall could have a major effect at Marina Bay, where standing water, poor visibility and the circuit's walls make wet conditions particularly difficult.

Marina Bay Street Circuit guide

The Marina Bay Street Circuit has hosted Formula 1 since 2008, when Singapore staged the sport's first night Grand Prix.

The street circuit runs through the heart of Singapore and is surrounded by barriers, leaving little margin for error.

Marina Bay is dominated by slow and medium-speed corners, with traction and braking performance particularly important.

The close proximity of the walls also makes qualifying crucial. Drivers need to attack the circuit to find lap time while knowing even a small mistake can end a session.

That challenge should become even more pronounced during a Sprint weekend, when drivers have only one practice session in which to find their limits and establish a setup.

Is overtaking difficult at the Singapore GP?

Yes. Overtaking has traditionally been difficult at Marina Bay, making qualifying and track position particularly important.

The circuit's street-track layout provides fewer straightforward passing opportunities than many permanent venues, although the best chances tend to come under heavy braking.

Turns 7 and 16 are among the more realistic overtaking opportunities on the current layout.

The 2026 regulations add another variable, however, with F1's new Overtake Mode and energy deployment systems replacing the traditional DRS attacking mechanism.

Why is the Singapore GP held at night?

The Singapore Grand Prix became Formula 1's first night race when it joined the calendar in 2008.

Floodlights illuminate the Marina Bay Street Circuit, producing one of the sport's most recognisable spectacles against Singapore's skyline.

The night-time schedule also means the race can be held at a more convenient broadcast time for European audiences while avoiding racing during the hottest part of the Singapore day.

Why is the Singapore GP so difficult for F1 drivers?

Singapore is regularly regarded as one of the toughest physical challenges of the F1 season.

High temperatures and extreme humidity place considerable strain on drivers, while the relatively low average speeds around Marina Bay mean the Grand Prix can run close to F1's two-hour race limit.

Unlike at circuits with long straights, drivers also have relatively few opportunities to relax during a lap.

The constant sequence of corners, braking zones and nearby barriers requires sustained concentration, while the uneven street surface adds to the physical workload inside the cockpit.

This year's Sprint format adds another complication. Drivers have only one practice session in which to acclimatise to the conditions and the circuit before competitive running begins.

Who won the Singapore Grand Prix last year?

George Russell won the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix for Mercedes, converting pole position into a dominant victory.

Russell finished more than five seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, with Lando Norris completing the podium for McLaren.

It was Russell's first victory at Marina Bay and his second Grand Prix win of the 2025 season.

Singapore GP previous winners

There have been five different winners across the five most recent Singapore Grands Prix, illustrating how difficult the race has been for one driver or team to dominate in the current era.

The Singapore Grand Prix was not held in 2020 or 2021.

Which driver has the most Singapore GP wins?

Sebastian Vettel holds the record for the most Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix victories with five.

The four-time world champion won at Marina Bay for Red Bull in 2011, 2012 and 2013 before adding victories with Ferrari in 2015 and 2019.

Lewis Hamilton is second on the list with four Singapore victories, while Fernando Alonso has won twice.

Mercedes are the leading constructor at Singapore with five race wins, just ahead of Ferrari and Red Bull with four apiece.

What tyres will F1 use at the Singapore GP?

Pirelli has selected the three softest compounds in its 2026 range for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Marina Bay's low-grip surface evolves significantly as rubber is laid down over the weekend.

Tyre degradation is not normally the biggest concern in Singapore, although wheelspin out of the circuit's slower corners can cause overheating and blistering.

The Sprint format could make tyre understanding particularly interesting this year because teams have only one practice session in which to gather long-run data before competitive running begins.

Track temperatures also tend to fall as the night progresses, potentially changing tyre behaviour during the Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Where do F1 drivers live, and why so many choose Monaco?

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

View full biography

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