Singapore Grand Prix Preview 2023

Fact File: Singapore Grand Prix

• This year's Singapore Grand Prix will feature a new layout as redevelopment works take place in the vicinity of the track.
• The circuit between what was Turns 16 to 19 will now become one long 397.9m straight, reducing the number of corners from 23 down to 19.
• The circuit length has therefore reduced from 5.063 km to 4.928 km and the number of laps of the Grand Prix increased from 61 to 62.
• Lap times are expected to be reduced by roughly 10 seconds due to the changes.
• The new layout will likely be beneficial for the tyres; previously, they would begin to overheat towards the end of the lap, but the removal of four 90-degree corners should help them stay closer to the optimum operating window.
• Track evolution is incredibly high in Singapore, given that it is a street circuit. The surface can ramp up by as much as three seconds between FP1 on Friday and Qualifying on Saturday evening.
• The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most physically demanding races of the season. The intense humidity, warm temperatures, combined with the stop/start nature of the track, make it very challenging.
• Due to these factors, drivers can lose around 3kg of weight during the race through sweating alone.
• That stop/start nature, with a requirement for constant re-acceleration, ensures the circuit has the biggest fuel effect of the year. In simple terms, that means the amount of time you lose each lap is higher for every kilogram of extra fuel in the car.
• Owing to the large amount of time spent in corners, just 50% of lap time is spent at full throttle.
• That is one of the lowest percentages of the season, with only Monaco, the Hungaroring, and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico with lower amounts.
• The Marina Bay Street Circuit has the largest number of heavy braking events of any circuit we visit at four.
• The lack of long straights and short distance between turns also puts less air through the brakes. Cooling is therefore a big focus for the team.
• The track is also very bumpy. That adds to the stress that the drivers and cars are put through - that is particularly true with these new generation cars that run lower to the ground.
• The circuit also impacts the tyres as the surface temperatures can never properly cool down. The tarmac is also aggressive on the tyres, increasing wear and degradation.
• With a speed limit of 60 km/h, and a layout that feeds in at turn two, the total pit lane time is the highest of the season at 25 seconds.
• Owing to the layout changes, the number of gear changes per lap has dropped to 64. It was previously the circuit with the highest amount of gear changes but now ranks fourth overall.
• Given the nature of a street track, it is perhaps no surprise that all 13 of the previous Singapore Grands Prix have featured at least one Safety Car deployment.
• In the last five editions, we have seen 10 Safety Car deployments.

Stat Sheet: Singapore Grand Prix

2023 Singapore Grand Prix
Session	Local Time (SGT)	Brackley (BST)	Stuttgart (CEST)
Practice One - Friday	17:30 - 18:30	10:30 - 11:30	11:30 - 12:30
Practice Two - Friday	21:00 - 22:00	14:00 - 15:00	15:00 - 16:00
Practice Three - Saturday	17:30 - 18:30	10:30 - 11:30	11:30 - 12:30
Qualifying - Saturday	21:00 - 22:00	14:00 - 15:00	15:00 - 16:00
Grand Prix - Sunday	20:00	13:00	14:00

 

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé (W 198), 1955

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198, 1954 to 1957). Photo from Le Mans Classic 2022. 

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé (W 198), 1955

In February 1954, the 300 SL series production sports car (W 198) celebrated its world premiere at the International Motor Sport Show in New York. The Coupé was called the “Gullwing” or the “Papillon” (butterfly) owing to its distinctive roof-mounted doors, which resembled a gull’s wings. However, the solution is not an aesthetic end in itself, but technically necessary. This was because the tubular roll cage was so high at the sills that conventional door designs were simply not possible. The high-performance sports car was based on the legendary 300 SL racing sports car (W 194) from the 1952 season. The enhanced W 198 was the world’s first series production passenger car with a four-stroke engine and direct petrol injection. With an engine output of 158 kW (215 hp) – a good 25 per cent more than the carburettor motor racing version of 1952 – and a top speed of up to 250 km/h, the W 198 was in the top echelon of production sports cars in its day, which also predestined it for racing. The triple class victory with the 300 SL “Gullwing” at the Mille Miglia 1955 by John Cooper Fitch and co-driver Kurt Gessl is legendary. From 1954 to 1957, a total of 1,400 units of the 300 SL Coupé were built, 29 of them with an aluminium body.

Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé (W 198)

Production year: 1955
Cylinders: 6/in-line
Displacement: 2,996 cc
Output: 158 kW (215 hp) at 5,800 rpm
Top speed: Up to 250 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing sports car (W 194), 1952

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing sports car (W 194), 1952. Winning vehicle of the 1952 Le Mans 24 Hours. Photo from the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing sports car (W 194), 1952

Mercedes-Benz re-entered motor racing in 1952 with the 300 SL (W 194). The limited resources initially spoke against the development of a racing car for Formula One in 1952 because new regulations had already been announced for the 1954 season. Axles, transmission and engine of the new racing car were developed from components stemming from the Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186) representation vehicle. A brand new feature is an extremely lightweight, yet very torsionally stiff tubular frame, which is enclosed by a streamlined light-alloy body. As a result of the elevated tubular frame around the doors, the racing car was equipped with characteristic gullwing doors, which were hinged on the roof. In 1952, the 300 SL was successful from the outset: amongst its major racing victories were the one-two-three victory at the Grand Prix of Bern (Switzerland), spectacular one-two finishes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) and at the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico as well as the top four positions in the Nürburgring Jubilee Grand Prix. The Le Mans winning car of 1952 belongs to a private collector.

Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing sports car (W 194)

Deployment: 1952
Cylinders: 6/in-line
Displacement: 2,996 cc
Output: 125 kW (170 hp) at 5,200 rpm
Top speed: 240 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 540 K Streamliner (W 29), 1938

Mercedes-Benz 540 K Streamliner (W 29), 1938. In 2014, Mercedes-Benz Classic meticulously rebuilt the vehicle to its original state as part of a highly demanding and elaborate restoration project. The subsequently measured drag coefficient was Cd = 0.36. That is an excellent value for a 1930s car. 

Mercedes-Benz 540 K Streamliner (W 29), 1938

The 540 K Streamliner was developed in 1937/38 in the special car construction department of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen. From today’s perspective, the vehicle would be described as a coupé in the style of a Gran Turismo. But in keeping with the conventions of the 1930s, stylists call the body shape a streamlined saloon or simply the Streamliner. Based on the chassis of the 540 K production car, the vehicle was built to reach very high speeds quickly and maintain them over longer distances with its powerful supercharged engine. Thanks to the lightweight aluminium body developed in the wind tunnel, this one-off was a model of efficiency in its performance class. In addition to lightweight construction and sophisticated aerodynamics, it was also the outstanding exterior and interior design, the dignified finish and the generous interior comfort that made the 540 K Streamliner an absolutely singular vehicle. At the time it was created with the potential of taking part in the long-distance Berlin-Rome tour planned for autumn 1938, which was initially postponed until 1939 and finally cancelled altogether owing to the start of the Second World War. From mid-1938, the Streamliner was used by the German subsidiary of tyre manufacturer Dunlop to subject high-speed tyres for fast vehicles to punishing everyday testing. After the war, it was put into storage. In 2014, Mercedes-Benz Classic meticulously rebuilt the vehicle to its original state as part of a highly demanding and elaborate restoration project. The subsequently measured drag coefficient was C_d = 0.36. This is an excellent value for a 1930s car.

Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz 540 K Streamliner (W 29)

Production year: 1938
Cylinders: 8/in-line
Displacement: 5,401 cc
Output: 85 kW (115 hp), with supercharger 132 kW (180 hp)
Top speed: 185 km/h

2923 Italian Grand Prix Preview at Monza

Formula One - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, 2023 Italian GP. Lewis Hamilton

A mixed day for the team in Monza, with a solid FP1 session followed by a more challenging FP2, with performance still to be found on all tyre compounds.

• On this Alternative Tyre Allocation weekend, both drivers ran a single set of Hard tyres in FP1, completing a programme of set-up evaluation and development experiments.
• For FP2, George completed the planned programme of Medium and Soft tyres, combining single timed laps on both tyres and long running on the Medium
• Lewis ran a higher downforce level in FP2, which cost straight line speed and did not deliver the expected gains in the corners. With time not available to revert in-session, he elected to save the Soft tyre for tomorrow and only ran the Medium.
• Overall, the day left the team with plenty of opportunities for overnight gains, with Mick Schumacher running in the simulator in Brackley this evening to evaluate improvements.

Driver	FP1	FP2
George Russell	28 laps	1:23.189	P5	Hard	20 laps	1:22.176	P9	Medium, Soft
Lewis Hamilton	26 laps	1:23.269	P8	Hard	23 laps	1:22.783	P17	Medium

George Russell

It’s great to be back in Monza and driving the car at these high speeds and with low downforce levels. The characteristics are very different to what we had last week in Zandvoort, and that’s something that it’s fun to adapt to. The car was feeling reasonably good, but we have some improvements to make on the soft tyre. The high fuel pace was looking pretty strong, so the focus tomorrow will be on finding more speed for qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton

It was a relatively normal Friday programme for me. The reliability was strong, and we got through the work that we needed to, checking off the different tests we had to do. There’s lots of learning from today, and we will have a bit of work tonight to try and improve for Saturday – as we always manage to do. I know that the team will do great work overnight to improve the set-up and car balance, so that we can be quicker tomorrow.

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

It’s been a messy day, partly with red flags but also because we’ve not got the car in a good place at the moment. That means we have a bit of work to do overnight to get the setup in the right place for the rest of the weekend. Single lap and long run both need work if we want to be competitive. There’s not much else to say; we just need to get on with the job of sorting the car out.

Mercedes-Benz Type 180: the 1955 Pontoon

 

Mercedes-Benz 180 (W 120) from 1955

Presence: The black Mercedes-Benz 180 looks quite unassuming amidst the other vehicles in Legend Room 4 of the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Directly behind it a “Kurzhauber” short-nosed truck. On the right an “Adenauer”, in front of it a 300 SL, a 300 SL Roadster (both W 198) and a 300 SLR (W 196 S), all cars that simply ooze charisma. But the Mercedes-Benz 180 stands absolutely confidently in the spotlight: the upper mid-range vehicle exudes the values of the brand and thus asserts itself effortlessly in this environment. It was no different at its premiere 70 years ago: anyone driving a 1950s Mercedes-Benz 180 was making a statement in terms of prestigious elegance, comfort, quality and durability.

All change: The Type 180 (W 120) with its body in a modern “pontoon” shape, along with the complexity of many of its technical details, marks a highpoint in what is known as the era of the economic miracle. The title “Post-war Miracle – Form and Diversity” of Legend Room 4 reflects this. The room covers the period from 1945 to 1960.

Successful: The W 120/121 “Ponton” model series with four-cylinder engines were built from 1953 to 1962. With them, the company also entered a new realm in terms of volume, thanks to increased exports: around 443,000 customers from all over the world chose one of these vehicles. The most successful variant was the 180 D with diesel engine, of which almost 150,000 vehicles were produced. The Type 180 with petrol engine was produced from 1953 to 1962, of which 117,192 were built. By way of comparison, 91,048 vehicles of all variants of the 170 V (W 136), also in the upper mid-range, rolled off the production line before the Second World War.

What might perhaps seem curious today: The comfort features of the “Ponton” four-cylinder saloons include separately adjustable heating and ventilation for the driver and front passenger. The Mercedes-Benz 180 shown in the museum was built in 1955. Its special equipment includes the exterior mirror on the left, which is shown in the price list at DM 15 (“rear-view mirror on the outside of the box-section pillar”). In Germany, an additional mirror does not become compulsory until mid-1956. The front fog lamps, which are also fitted here, appear in the price list at DM 120.

The first “Erlkönig” spy photo: It is interesting to know that the premiere of the Mercedes-Benz 180 continues to shape reporting on new vehicle models in the German-speaking world to this day. In 1952, a first picture of a prototype of the new saloon appeared in the magazine “auto motor und sport” together with a parody of Goethe’s ballad, “Erlkönig” (Erl King). This led to the term “Erlkönig” being commonly used in German for a camouflaged prototype.

Appearance: For the “pontoon”, the stylists used design criteria that reflected the state of the art at the time. The design follows the “three box” principle with front section, passenger compartment and rear section. The elimination of running boards and free-standing headlamps, as well as integrated wings, reduce drag and fuel consumption. Further effect: the interior is significantly more spacious than was the case with older body forms. In addition, rounded shapes typical of the 1950s, including round front headlamps. It is the family face of Mercedes-Benz at the time. All vehicles in Legend Room 4 have this look – including the trucks.

Lighter and more stable: The change also takes place inside the vehicle. The body is firmly welded to the floor assembly and forms a static unit. With this vehicle, Mercedes-Benz says goodbye to the traditional construction comprising chassis and independent body. Compared to the previously common construction method, the torsional rigidity increases and the weight decreases.

Complexity: Added to this is a suspension with important safety and comfort features. The front wheels, which are guided by double wishbones, are no longer suspended directly from the frame, but from a so-called “suspension subframe”. This is a U-shaped axle carrier welded together from two pressed sheet metal parts, to which the engine, transmission and steering are also attached. It is mounted on the frame via three noise-reducing decoupling elements.

Powerful: Under the bonnet of the 180 is a four-cylinder unit. From a displacement of 1,767 cubic centimetres, it develops 38 kW (52 hp) at 4,000 rpm. On the roads of that time, this was absolutely sufficient. Its maximum design speed was 126 km/h. Mercedes-Benz expanded its engine range with the 180 D diesel variant as early as 1954. The third model to enter the range was the significantly more powerful Mercedes-Benz 190 (W 121) with 55 kW(75 hp) in 1956.

Evolution: Mercedes-Benz updated the 120 and 121 model series several times. Important steps included the single-joint swing axle at the rear with a low pivot point introduced in 1955, the facelift in August 1957, the début of the 190 D in 1958 and the design refresh in 1959. Also from 1959 onwards, the latest findings provided for a less sharp-edged interior and thus an improved level of safety. The dashboard was padded and featured retracting controls that in some cases were recessed. The steering wheel had a cushioned centre section. In the same year, the wedge-pin door lock with two safety catches was introduced. This prevents the doors from bursting open. This is because people were often thrown out of the car in an accident and suffered serious injuries – seat belts were not yet widespread.