Singapore GP gets tougher with first Sprint, new cars and just one practice session
McLaren's Lando Norris looked surprised when a reporter told him he would also be racing in daylight at Marina Bay this weekend."I've not even thought of that. Honestly, I didn't even know. So thanks for letting me know," said the reigning world champion on Thursday (Oct 8) when asked about Saturday's 5pm Sprint.The Singapore Grand Prix remains a night race, with Sunday's main event starting at 8pm, but the Sprint will be the first competitive F1 race at Marina Bay to be held before nightfall.It is one of several changes facing drivers at a race already regarded as one of the toughest on the calendar.They will also be racing a new generation of cars at the 4.927km circuit for the first time, with only one practice session before competitive racing begins.A Sprint is a shorter race of about 100km, roughly a third of a Grand Prix distance, with points awarded to the top eight finishers.It has its own qualifying session on Friday night, while a separate session on Saturday night determines the grid for the Grand Prix.