Stroll 'knows what to expect' in Singapore this time round

Williams driver Lance Stroll says he knows what to expect from the Singapore Grand Prix this time around.

One year ago, Stroll was midway through his rookie season in Formula 1 when he headed to the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Racing at night under the powerful floodlights and in high heat and humidity was unlike anything he'd faced befor then.

Even so, the race turned out well for the Canadian teenager.

"I have great memories from last year as I started 18th and finished eighth," he recalled. "It was a pretty wild race with some rain before the start.

"I was able to make up five places on the opening lap. After that it dried out and then it was down to strategy and all that.

"We came away from a difficult weekend with a handful of points, which was great, and the party after the race was great."

Stroll is hoping to have a similarly successful time of it this weekend, especially after the back of Williams' first double points finish of the year last time out in Monza.

• Stroll 'nailed it' with latest points finish

Having a much more informed idea of what's ahead of him in Singapore should give Stroll an extra advantage this time around, too.

"Obviously this year I know exactly what to expect in terms of how the Marina Bay Street Circuit is," he said.

"It is tight and twisty and one of the toughest both mentally and physically, especially because of the hot and humid conditions."

Williams' chief technical officer Paddy Lowe said that racing under the floodlights in Singapore created a "unique atmosphere" which was "unlike anywhere else we go."

"The circuit requires high downforce and good mechanical grip, and is tough on the cars, team members and drivers," Lowe continued.

"Mentally it is one of the toughest races for the drivers as well, with very little opportunity to relax over the course of a lap, combined with the heat and humidity they must contend with, even once the sun has set.

"The race almost always goes to the full two-hour mark because it has a characteristic speed similar to Monaco, but goes to the full 305 km distance, unlike Monaco which has the exception of only needing to reach a distance of 260 km.

"The engineers and mechanics are also tested in the hot conditions and cars can be pushed to breaking point.

"All of this combined can deliver some exciting on-track action moments, especially towards the end," Lowe pointed out.

"This effect will be greater than ever with the 2018 cars being the fastest F1 cars to date."

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