Held annually at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is one of F1’s most celebrated rounds on the World Championship calendar. First run in 2008, it made history as the first night race in Formula 1, with cars taking to the track under floodlights against the iconic Singapore backdrop. It has been a permanent fixture on the F1 calendar ever since, scheduled until at least 2028.

Beyond the spectacle, Singapore is one of the most gruelling races of the season. Night temperatures sit around 30 degrees celcius with humidity rarely below 70%, pushing drivers to their physical limits across a race that regularly approaches the two-hour time limit. Tight barriers, little room to overtake, and a street circuit layout makes for a guaranteed exciting race weekend.

Key Facts:

• Location: Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore
• First Singapore Grand Prix: 1966
• First Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix: 2008
• Circuit length: 4.94 km
• Race distance: 62 laps
• Most successful driver: Sebastian Vettel
• Most successful constructor: Mercedes
• Typical race duration: close to the 2-hour limit
• Race format: Night race under floodlights

Formation of the Singapore Grand Prix

Singapore’s motorsport history stretches back further than most casual F1 fans realise. The first race was held in 1961 under the name the Orient Year Grand Prix, taking place on the Thompson Road Circuit through the north of the island. The event was renamed the Singapore Grand Prix in 1966 and continued to draw competitors and crowds throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, before safety concerns saw the race discontinued after 1973. It would be more than three decades before Singapore returned to the International Motorsport calendar in 2008.

History of the Marina Bay Street Circuit

The Singapore Grand Prix returned to Formula 1 in 2008 with the creation of the Marina Bay Street Circuit, a temporary street circuit built on closed public roads around the city’s famous waterfront. Designed by renowned circuit architect Hermann Tilke and refined by engineering firm KBR Inc., the circuit runs anti-clockwise over 4.94km and 19 corners, with races contested over 62 laps. It is slow by Formula 1 standards, dominated by tight 90-degree turns. The current lap record is held by Daniel Ricciardo, who set at lap time of 1:34:486 during the 2024 race. The circuit park accommodates approximately 100,000 fans.

When Was the First Singapore Grand Prix

The first Grand Prix in Singapore was held in 1961 at the Thompson Circuit under the name Orient Year Grand Prix, marking the beginning of a motorsport tradition on the island before it was renamed to the Singapore Grand Prix in 1966. The first Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, however, came much later in 2008, with Fernando Alonso claiming the inaugural race win while driving for Renault. This race result has however never been without an asterisk as it emerged a year later that Renault had ordered teammate Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash his car on lap 14, triggering a safety car that handed Alonso the lead. The scandal, also known as Crashgate, resulted in a suspended ban for the team and remains one of the most controversial scandals in Formula 1 history.

Previous Singapore Grand Prix Winners

Repeat Winners of the Singapore Grand Prix (Drivers)

• 5 wins: Sebastian Vettel (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019)
• 4 wins: Lewis Hamilton (2009, 2014, 2017, 2018)
• 2 wins: Fernando Alonso (2008, 2010)

Several drivers have won at Marina Bay more than once, but none have dominated the circuit quite like Sebastian Vettel. Vettel’s record at Marina bay is in a class of its own. He won three consecutive races between 2011 and 2013, and returned to the top step twice more with Ferrari in 2015 and 2019.

Repeat Winners of the Singapore Grand Prix (Constructors)

• 5 wins: Mercedes (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2025)
• 4 wins: Ferrari (1970, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2023)
• 4 wins: Red Bull (2011, 2012, 2013, 2022)
• 2 wins: McLaren (2009, 2024)

The Marina Bay circuit has historically favoured cars with a strong mechanical grip, high downforce and excellent tyre management over a single lap and across a long, hot race.

What Makes the Singapore Grand Prix Special?

Few races on the Formula 1 calendar can match Singapore for sheer spectacle and physical brutality. The Marina Bay Street Circuit’s combination of 1,600 floodlights, a glittering city skyline, and cars threading through the streets at speed is unlike anything else on the motorsport calendar. Add in a narrow, barrier-lined street circuit with a historically near-certain safety car, and a festival atmosphere of world-class entertainment, Singapore consistently delivers some of the most dramatic, unpredictable, and exciting racing of the year.

If you want to experience the magic of the Marina Bay Street Circuit firsthand, take a look at our exclusive Singapore Grand Prix packages and secure your spot at the most spectacular night race on the calendar with Keith Prowse Travel.