Like the country's iconic Merlion mascot, the Singapore Grand Prix has felt somewhat mythical in recent times, having not appeared on the calendar since 2019.

After three long years, we'll finally be returning to the fan-favourite street circuit for a much-needed dose of night racing. For our long-standing fans, Singapore's street track will need no introduction, but for anyone who's joined us recently, let us present to you one of the most spectacular events of the year - there's something truly special about a lap of the Marina Bay Street Circuit under the floodlights.

What's more, thanks to our friends at OKX, the MCL36 will don a special livery for our return to Singapore and Japan, with cyberpunk-themed engine illustrations and vibrant neon pink embellishments that take inspiration from the cityscapes of the two countries.

To help us explain why we love the Singapore Grand Prix so much, we've enlisted the help of Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo and Team Principal Andreas Seidl.

Key info

Round	17
Where	Marina Bay Street Circuit
When	30 September - 2 October
Follow	TEAMStream and the McLaren App for LIVE commentary and team radio

What they say

“I’m excited to be heading back to Singapore this year, it’s another race returning to the calendar, and it will only be my second time racing there! I can’t wait to get back into the car, especially with the new OKX livery we have for Asia. Marina Bay is another unique street circuit, and I was in the points there in 2019 so hopefully we can keep that up and bring back more points for the team this time.

“Monza was a good result in the end, and we’ve had time to look back at the data over the last two weeks before going into this weekend’s race. We have a great team working at track and back at the factory to continually push us forward, so let's keep the momentum up for the remainder of the season!”

“Singapore, it’s good to be back! The atmosphere should be electric with the return of night racing in Asia. We’re celebrating the return with a bespoke OKX livery, which will look ace under the lights! I’ve had some good weekends in Singapore with podiums in the past and I’m looking forward to the challenge the Marina Bay Street Circuit provides both physically and mentally. It’s an intense weekend and you have to be on it but that’s all part of the fun.

“I had a frustrating Sunday in Monza with issues to the car, but the team have worked hard to look into that and we’re now ready to bounce back with a positive result after a two week break in the calendar. We’ll continue to push hard as a team to pick up more points in the final few races, let's go!”

"We’re looking forward to getting back on track in the unique environment Singapore brings! I’m sure there will be a vibrant atmosphere created by the fans in Marina Bay as we return for the first time in three years. It’s also the third night race on this year’s calendar and has lots of corners for the drivers to navigate. The logistics of working on European time can also provide an interesting challenge but we’re ready to attack the weekend and finish in a strong position.

“Reflecting on Monza, we came away with mixed feelings. There were positives in the pace we had throughout the weekend, but Daniel’s retirement meant we lost valuable points in the Constructors’ Championship. However, the team have worked hard over the last fortnight following the intense triple header to put us in a good position for the final stretch of the season. We’re fully focused on finishing the campaign strongly by scoring as many points as possible in the final six races.”

What the stats say

As one of the more recent circuits on the calendar, there's not quite the same catalogue of history to run through as the likes of Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium, but we do have a victory to speak of, with Lewis Hamilton winning the circuit's second-ever race from pole in 2009.

Although it was never a part of the official Formula 1 World Championship calendar, the Singapore Grand Prix technically dates back to the 1960s, with the Upper Thomson Road Circuit hosting a non-championship race from 1966 to 1973. 40 years prior to Hamilton's victory, New Zealander Graeme Lawrence won the 1969 edition for McLaren in an M4A F2 car.

Having not visited since 2019, recent history is also harder to come by. Lando's only race on the street track was in 2019, where he finished an impressive seventh, his joint-second best result of the season. The British star has also been a fan of seventh this season, finishing there six times so far, including five times in the last six races.

Daniel has navigated the track on nine occasions in F1 machinery, which includes an impressive run of four successive podiums in Singapore between 2014 and 2017. He's only failed to finish in the points in three of the nine races. 

Session times

Free Practice 1	18:00 local / 11:00 BST / 10:00 UTC
Free Practice 2	21:00 local / 14:00 BST / 13:00 UTC
Free Practice 3	18:00 local / 11:00 BST / 10:00 UTC
Qualifying	21:00 local / 14:00 BST / 13:00 UTC
Race	20:00 local / 13:00 BST / 12:00 UTC

What to watch out for

Singapore has been sorely missed. It's a visually stunning street circuit set in downtown Singapore that marked F1's first foray into night racing and set the bar for those that have followed.

Its yacht-lined harbour glistens under the floodlights, with drivers passing skyscrapers, the Anderson Bridge and the Singapore Flyer as they make their way around the 23 corners. The 18th and 19th corners are unique as the only turns on the calendar to pass underneath a grandstand.

The circuit's harbourside location may resemble Monaco, but it's an entirely different type of street track, with plenty of opportunities to overtake. Turn 7, also known as Memorial Corner, is the pick of those, following on from the circuit's longest straight.

Another unique feature of the Singapore Grand Prix is the timings. With the race taking place at night, the team will effectively remain on European time, eating breakfast in the PM and dinner in the AM. 

Finally (we say finally because we could continue with this list for a lot longer, but we've got to end it somewhere), heat and humidity play a significant factor in a race that is known as the most physically challenging in F1, with drivers known to sweat off several kilograms of bodyweight. At its most extreme, the temperature inside of the cockpit has reached a staggering 60 degrees Celsius with 80% humidity.

What to wear

We unlocked a new skin ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, with our limited edition OKX livery set to be unleashed under the lights at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. And now you can unlock yours too following the launch of our matching OKX cyberpunk T-shirts.

Designed with the same neon pink and cyberpunk inspirations we'll be wearing in Singapore and Japan, you can mod up your character (you) in the same design as the MCL36.

Plus one

Once you've picked up your limited edition OKX tee, you can unlock your next achievement by winning one of our matching cyberpunk-inspired posters and complete the set. Signed by Lando and Daniel, these are only for the bravest of collectors. Enter by clicking on the link below.

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