Key events
Sunday’s Grand Prix will be F1’s first ‘heat hazard’ race, under a new rule introduced this year. Temperatures could be as high as 31°C for the night race, with humidity also playing a big part. It means every car will be fitted with heat-reduction systems including cooling vests – although it’s not mandatory for drivers to wear them during the race.
Mercedes driver George Russell said: “Not everybody finds the top comfortable … but the concept is good, and when you’re racing in 90% humidity and the cockpits are getting on for 60°C, it’s a bit of a sauna inside the car, so I think we all welcome it.”
Constructors’ standings
To be champions for a 10th time, McLaren just need to score 13 points from the six remaining races – a target they should pass this weekend. Even if they don’t, Mercedes or Ferrari will need to outscore them by 31 or 35 points respectively to prevent McLaren from retaining their title in Singapore. Red Bull are already out of the race.
1) McLaren 623pts
2) Mercedes 290pts
3) Ferrari 286pts
4) Red Bull 272pts
5) Williams 101pts
6) RacingBulls 72pts
7) Aston Martin 62pts
8) Sauber 55pts
9) Haas 44pts
10) Alpine 20pts
Drivers’ standings
1) Oscar Piastri [Aus] McLaren 324pts
2) Lando Norris [GB] McLaren 299pts
3) Max Verstappen [Neth] Red Bull 255pts
4) George Russell [GB] Mercedes 212pts
5) Charles Leclerc [Mon] Ferrari 165pts
6) Lewis Hamilton [GB] Ferrari 121pts
7) Kimi Antonelli [It] Mercedes 78pts
8) Alex Albon [Thai] Williams 70pts
9) Isack Hadjar [Fr] RacingBulls 39pts
10) Nico Hülkenberg [Ger] Sauber 37pts
Can Max still win it?
To win a fifth title in a row, Max Verstappen must score an average of 10 more points than Oscar Piastri in every race to overhaul him in the drivers’ standings. There are still 199 race and sprint winner points up for grabs.
Hamilton could face grid penalty
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is under investigation for a potential red flag infringement in the final practice session, which was stopped after RacingBulls driver Liam Lawson crashed. Stewards are looking at whether Hamilton sped up through a chicane while under the red flag; if found guilty, he will face a grid penalty on Sunday.
Preamble
Max Verstappen is muscling his way back into the title race after winning the last two grands prix – but to really turn up the heat on Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, he needs to do something he’s never done before in his F1 career: win in Singapore.
Marina Bay is the only circuit on the current calendar he is yet to conquer; doing so this weekend would send a strong statement across the pit lane to his McLaren rivals. After setting the fastest time in today’s final practice – a slender 0.017sec ahead of Piastri with Norris fifth – the defending champion knows today’s qualifying could be pivotal.
Singapore is one of the calendar’s best races for pole-sitters, with 10 of the 15 official grands prix won by the driver who topped qualifying – including Norris last year. Verstappen has never taken pole position here, either; Red Bull will hope that one piece of history will follow another this weekend. Qualifying begins at 2pm (BST).
