Max Verstappen set for F1 history but faces Red Bull hoodoo - Singapore GP stats

Verstappen, Red Bull, Singapore, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Singapore Grand Prix

Verstappen set for F1 history but faces Red Bull hoodoo - Singapore GP stats

Will Verstappen join a list of F1 greats?

GPFans Staff & Sundaram Ramaswami

Friday 30 September 2022 14:30

F1 returns to Singapore this weekend for the first time since 2019 for the sport's original night race.

The Marina Bay Street Circuit was the first track to use floodlights to allow F1 to race through the night and, before last year's introduction of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, was the only street circuit to boast such a claim.

Max Verstappen can clinch the title this weekend if scenarios go his way, though it is more likely the Red Bull driver will become a double world champion in Japan.

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But before track action gets underway, here are the stats and facts you need to know for the Singapore GP.

Saftey car playground

Every Singapore GP so far has had at least one full safety car period.

Due to the long lap time and frequency of safety cars, the race is the longest on the calendar. In fact, in 2014 and 2017, the races were cut short on the lap counter due to the two-hour limit being reached.

Debuts everywhere

Four drivers will be making their Singapore GP debuts - Nicholas Latifi, Yuki Tsunoda, Mick Schumacher and Zhou Guanyu.

Leclerc on for Singapore history

If Charles Leclerc can take pole on Saturday, the Ferrari driver will become the first driver to take consecutive pole positions at Marina Bay.

Qualifying will be important as the driver on pole has won eight of the 12 races held at the venue. The driver starting second has never won here.

A circuit of champions

Every driver to win this race has either been a world champion or has become one later that year.

Vettel's happy hunting ground

Sebastian Vettel won the last time F1 visited Singapore, likely to be his last in the sport. The German has history here, with five wins to his name whilst he has also never finished outside the top five when seeing the chequered flag.

Red Bull's struggles

Red Bull is yet to take pole position or a win in Singapore in the turbo-hybrid era. The team, however, has featured on the podium in every race held here since 2010.

Red Bull has led only 10 laps around Marina Bay in the hybrid era. Incredibly, Antonio Giovinazzi has led more laps in Singapore [four] than Max Verstappen [three].

Verstappen aiming for roll of honour

If Verstappen wins, he’ll become only the fifth driver to win six races in a row after Vettel, Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

If the Dutchman clinches the title this weekend, he will become the first to do so in Singapore and only the third to have sealed the deal with five or more rounds remaining [Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Schumacher in 2002].

Top three dominance

The last non-Ferrari, Red Bull or Mercedes car on the podium in Singapore was the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen in 2013.

The flying... Dane

Kevin Magnussen owns the track record here at one minute 41.905secs which he set at the 2018 running of the race.

The Dane is also set to become Haas’ joint-most experienced driver with 96 starts alongside Romain Grosjean.

Alonso to break record

Fernando Alonso is set to become the most experienced driver in F1 history with 350 starts. Raikkonen retired last year with 349 starts to his name.

Sainz's revolving door

Carlos Sainz’s four recent visits to Singapore have been with four different teams - Toro Rosso [2017], Renault [2018], McLaren [2019] and now Ferrari [2022].

Sundaram Ramaswami -Twitter/Instagram - @f1statsguru