Magnussen: Singapore organizes the most difficult races

On the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix, Kevin Magnussen spoke in an interview with the Haas press service about the difficulties drivers face on the city circuit.

Question: What makes the stage in Singapore so special?
Kevin Magnussen: Singapore organized a night race for the first time. This is another country where fans come to watch Formula 1. There are some events taking place in the city over the weekend, so we can say that the whole of Singapore lives for the Formula 1 podium. there are always difficulties with it.

Q: The Marina Bay circuit is one of the toughest on the calendar due to the high heat and humidity. How much additional time is needed to prepare and acclimatize for this phase?
Kevin Magnussen: I think the most important thing about Singapore is that it has the most challenging circuit of the year in terms of physical activity. Heat and humidity put extra pressure on the racers, and due to the configuration and slow speeds, the race almost always approaches the two-hour limit.

On this course the riders sweat a lot and lose a lot of fluid. When I train in the gym, my main motivation is always to prepare for Singapore. At least that’s how I feel. The most tiring races always take place on this circuit. Some years the humidity can be lower or higher, but overall Singapore has the toughest race.

Question: Compared to last year, the track configuration in Singapore has changed. What do you think? Will the new line make tuning the VF-23 easier or harder?
Kevin Magnussen: I find the changes interesting. Perhaps now the physical strain on the riders will be reduced slightly and the track will become faster. This should shorten the duration of the race, so that we lose less fluid over the distance.

Will the new configuration have any impact on the team? We’ll find out soon.