The Singapore Grand Prix is just around the corner. All eyes will be on Max Verstappen and Red Bull to see if the Dutchman is able to extend his winning streak at the Singapore GP. However, the Marina Bay Street Circuit is arguably one of the most challenging circuits for the drivers and hardest on the cars. Amid all these, Lewis Hamilton’s 2018 qualifying pole position still stands out. But why is that lap so famous? Will Lewis Hamilton be able to stop the unstoppable Max Verstappen?

F1 drivers and teams will take to the Marina Bay Street Circuit in less than 2 days’ time. There’s no other place on the F1 calendar like the Singapore GP. While Sebastian Vettel holds the record for the most wins at the Singapore GP, it’s not his triumphs that stand out but a pole position lap time set by Lewis Hamilton. A lap where he beat the king of the Singapore streets, Sebastian Vettel. That too, in a very dramatic manner. But first, let’s see what makes the Singapore GP so difficult.

Why is the Singapore GP lap so difficult?

The Marina Bay Street Circuit is arguably one of the most unique circuits that holds an F1 race. Most of the corners are slow-speed corners with a quick change of direction. The track temperature usually rises up to 45 degrees and the humidity level is on average at 80 percent. This causes the drivers to sweat profusely and lose up to 4 kg over the race distance. Driving under the lights at night doesn’t help the cause either. The narrow street, barrier up close and Monaco-esque style of track layout make it all the more difficult.

All this combined with the fact that Singapore had one of the trickiest corners, named the Singapore Sling. Lewis Hamilton advised that the Singapore Sling was the worst corner he’s ever driven around. However, the corner was removed back in 2013. Even Sebastian Vettel advised that he has a love-hate relationship with the Singapore Grand Prix as he pointed to the difficulties faced during the race around the Marina Bay Street Circuit. 

What made the 2018 pole lap time performance so special?

Lewis Hamilton holds the all-time lap record (1:36:015) around the Singapore GP. And it was during the 2018 Singapore GP that he set the fastest lap time. But it is not really the lap time itself that makes it special but the way that Lewis Hamilton set this lap time. The 7x champion wasn’t the quickest driver in the Q2 session with the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari looking super competitive. However, during the Q3 session, the Brit pulled the ace up his sleeve and set a lap, which was over 1.3 seconds faster than his best time in Q2.

Read More: Why Was the Notorious Singapore Sling Chicane Removed?

Even the King of Singapore Streets, Sebastian Vettel, wasn’t able to match that improvement. But, there’s more to the story. Lewis Hamilton messed up his final lap in Q3 when he rode the curb coming out of Turn 7. Everyone thought that the likes of Max Verstappen, Kimi Raikkonen, and Sebastian Vettel were in with a chance, but no one was able to beat Hamilton’s banker lap time set during the early part of Q3. No one even came close as the Brit took the pole by over 3 tenths. 

Will Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton be able to replicate their previous success at the Marina Bay Street Circuit?

Max Verstappen and Co. aren’t certain about their chances at the Singapore GP. The Red Bull RB19 lacks the low-speed capability but is able to make up for it on straights and medium-high-speed corners. Unfortunately, Marina Bay Street Circuit doesn’t feature many of the characteristics in favor of the RB19. And this uncertainty can be heard in the Red Bull member’s comments. Both Verstappen and Sergio Perez advised as to how Singapore is going to face a tough challenge.

Lewis Hamilton is in with a chance. The Marina Bay Circuit is one where a driver can make a lot of difference and it’s not all about the car performance. It’s very similar to Monaco in that regard. And getting the pole is ever so crucial around Singapore. We’ve seen that Lewis Hamilton has still got it after the Briton snatched the pole away from Max Verstappen at the Hungarian GP. Will Hamilton be able to do it is a whole different question. 

The Mercedes W09 wasn’t the most dominant silver arrow ever seen. However, Lewis Hamilton managed to get the pole in Singapore. The 2023 Mercedes W14 is nowhere near the Red Bull pace in general, but Singapore is different. The Mercedes lacks straight-line speed but is super efficient around the corners. And corners are what Marina Bay Circuit is all about. While the revised layout for 2023 sees turns 16-19 being removed for straight, still the track is all about downforce and mechanical grip. 

Red Bull’s uncertainty and Mercedes’ strength around Singapore do point toward chances of a Mercedes pole. However, it won’t be as dominating as the 2018 lap. Also, Aston Martin and Ferrari are expected to be strong as well. It can very well turn out to be a 4 horse race for the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix Pole.

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Who do you think will take pole position at the 2023 Singapore GP? Will Lewis Hamilton come out on top?