Esteban Gutierrez will start his third Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, and the Mexican echoes the sentiment of the majority of his colleagues when it comes to racing under the floodlights around the Marina Bay street circuit.
Lined by uncompromising walls, the treacherous and demanding layout takes no prisoners in the event of a mishap, and requires an extra dose of focus and concentration throughout the entire weekend.
"The margin for error is a bit low, but it’s still a street circuit and it’s one of my favorites, " says the Haas driver.
"Running as close as possible to the walls, you go quicker and quicker. You try to optimize all the space there is available on track."
"It is very physical and very mental because it requires a lot of concentration and focus during the race as the margin for error is smaller than usual being a street circuit.
"It’s more of a challenge when you’re fighting on the limit with other people as the level of concentration has to be very accurate. I really enjoy it and I love driving in the night in Singapore."
Since its appearance on the F1 calendar in 2008, Singapore has always been a huge success with drivers and followers alike. Gutierrez is also a big fan of the vibrant and lively venue.
"There are a lot of things going on, and the schedule is completely different. All the events are very alive and everything is right in the city, so it brings a very close atmosphere which creates a lot of excitement for many people. Singapore is a great city and a great place for Formula 1."
"The track is also amazing. It has so many corners. It’s quite an adventure and it brings a very nice atmosphere. The hotels are close by. You can walk every day to the track, so it feels very convenient."
Obviously, the hot and humid environment is also a straining factor that driver's have to contend with, but Gutierrez underlines the difficulty of dealing with the later rather than the former.
"It’s not about the heat, it’s about the humidity. It’s really challenging when it comes down to physical conditioning because we’re not used to so much humidity, and that’s what make it very different for us.
"That’s why I get there there ahead of time to do some training and get adapted to those conditions."
The Mexican has yet to score a championship point this season with Haas, finishing four times on the verge of the top 10, while his best qualifying performance was just recently at Monza where he started 10th.
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