Formula 1 heads to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the 2023 Singapore GP, as the flyaway season resumes.
Plenty of drivers are marking the occasion with new helmet designs, with one Red Bull driver in particular celebrating a significant achievement.
The designs will certainly pop around the city streets of Singapore under the floodlights. The venue hosted the original F1 night race back in 2008.
In the 15 year since then, Singapore has become a test of focus and fitness given that it regularly runs close to the two-hour mark.
Hot temperatures and humid conditions raise the difficulty level, though drivers will be aided by a revised track layout this year. The Turn 16 and 17 chicane have been removed, removing the waterfront section and cutting under the grandstand for Turn 18 and 19.
Instead, the track continues straight after the left-handed kink at Turn 15 and then rejoins at what was Turn 19. All this amounts to a longer straight that should help with overtaking, will increase average speed and lower lap times.
That will no doubt be a welcome change for drivers, but until then, let’s take a look at which of them will be rocking new helmets for the occasion.
Sergio Perez
Sunday’s race is a special one for Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, with the Mexican opting for a sleek-looking new crash helmet to mark his 250th GP.
The design is a white helmet with highlights of the Mexican flag and 250 written over it and in bold green.
The accomplishment isn’t lost on Perez, who wrote: “Reaching 250 GPs in Singapore … not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine we’d be here!
“Celebrating with a special helmet for my country because I know this means a lot to us I hope you like it, here’s to a great weekend in Singapore.”
Perez has reason to be proud as he comes the second driver from the Americas to reach the 250 GP mark in Formula 1. Rubens Barrichello was the first to do so, with the Brazilian finishing his career with 322 starts by the time his career ended in 2011.
