Lewis Hamilton has urged changes to the Marina Bay Street Circuit after arguing that Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix needs a longer straight and more realistic overtaking opportunities to fulfil its potential as a racing venue.
The Ferrari driver remains a fan of the demanding Singapore track and its distinctive night-race atmosphere, but believes the current 19-corner configuration works considerably better as a qualifying challenge than as a circuit for close wheel-to-wheel racing. Hamilton highlighted the limited number of places where one car can realistically get close enough to another to attempt a pass.
Lewis Hamilton wants Singapore GP track change to improve overtaking
The Briton’s assessment came after a competitive Saturday at Marina Bay. The seven-time world champion finished second behind Max Verstappen in the rain-affected Sprint before qualifying third for the Grand Prix. Less than two tenths separated Verstappen, Hamilton and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in the fight at the front.
Despite those narrow qualifying margins, Hamilton felt the circuit itself remained a major obstacle to producing equally close racing. He explained that he had discussed the subject with Verstappen and believed Singapore needed a longer straight somewhere around the lap if the venue was to become an even stronger racing circuit.
For the Ferrari driver, the distinction is between the challenge of driving Marina Bay and the quality of racing it can generate. He enjoys competing at the venue and considers it an excellent track over a single qualifying lap, but believes there is effectively only one area where drivers have a realistic opportunity to close in and attempt an overtake.
The difficulty of passing was also visible during the Grand Prix. Our Singapore GP race analysis showed how heavily track position and strategy influenced the leading group, with relatively few overtakes among the front-running cars.
Marina Bay layout has already undergone major changes
The Marina Bay Street Circuit has been modified several times during its Formula 1 history. One of the most significant early alterations came in 2013, when the notorious Turn 10 Singapore Sling chicane was removed.
A further major revision arrived before the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix. Redevelopment work around the Bay Grandstand led to the old sequence from Turns 16 to 19 being bypassed and replaced by a 398-metre straight. The change helped reduce the circuit to its current 19-corner layout, but Hamilton believes further adjustments could still improve the quality of the racing.
The full characteristics of the venue, including its current configuration and race distance, are detailed in our Marina Bay Street Circuit guide.
Hamilton also identifies another Marina Bay problem
Hamilton pointed beyond the lack of long straights when discussing possible improvements. He also highlighted the surface around Turn 16, noting that the crest in the middle of the track can cause the cars to produce sparks because that section is not particularly flat.
Although he was unsure whether the characteristic was related to drainage requirements for wet conditions, the Briton felt there were adjustments that could be considered as part of efforts to improve Marina Bay further.
Singapore’s street-circuit nature inevitably limits the scale of potential modifications, with the track built around public roads in one of the world’s most densely developed city-centre environments. Nevertheless, the layout has already demonstrated that significant alterations are possible when circumstances require them.
Rain transformed the Singapore Sprint spectacle
Hamilton also felt Saturday’s weather had played a major role in making the Sprint more entertaining. Heavy rain disrupted the programme and delayed the start before Verstappen eventually won ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc, completing a Ferrari double podium behind the Red Bull.
The Ferrari driver suggested that a dry Sprint would probably have produced a much more predictable contest dominated by tyre management. In his view, the wet conditions introduced the uncertainty and variety that made the race considerably more exciting.
The unusual circumstances were particularly significant because Singapore was hosting its first Formula 1 Sprint weekend in 2026, leaving the teams with only one practice session before competitive running began. The full structure of the event can be found in our 2026 Singapore Grand Prix Sprint schedule.
Hamilton’s comments therefore underline a wider question for Marina Bay. Singapore remains one of Formula 1’s most spectacular and technically demanding events, but the Ferrari driver believes changes designed specifically to increase overtaking opportunities could help the challenge of driving the circuit translate into consistently stronger racing as well.
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