Singapore is known for its illuminated evening atmosphere but also for the complex tactical choices which often prevail at the Marina Bay track.
As a non-permanent venue, specific challenges are taken into consideration such as variable levels of low grip, street furniture such as manholes and white lines, as well as a high probability of safety cars - 100% so far in the track’s ten-year history.
With regard to the tyres supplied by Pirelli, the race marks the third appearance of the year manufacturers' pink hypersoft compound, and it’s also the fourth race of the year where there’s a ‘step’ between the tyre nominations.
The hypersoft and the ultrasoft will be seen at the Marina Bay circuit, but then there’s a jump to the soft, and it will be the first time that this particular combination has been seen.
"We’ve chosen the hypersoft for Singapore, which should open up a number of different possibilities or strategy, depending on the tyres chosen by each driver," says Pirelli's Mario Isola.
"By factoring in a ‘step’ in the tyre nominations, we also hope to achieve evenly-spaced gaps between the performances of the different compounds.
"A number of different tactical permutations are possible, also influenced by safety cars and all the other unpredictable elements that come with a street circuit.
"From our point of view, although the lap is quite slow, the tyres have to cope with high ambient temperatures and humidity, a very high number of corners, and the usual hazards of a street circuit such as unforgiving barriers and variable grip.
"The fact that the race is run at night adds an extra variable to the usual calculations as well."
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