All 20 drivers are on intermediates.
Leclerc, Perez, Hamilton, Sainz, Alonso, Norris, Gasly, Verstappen, Magnussen, Tsunoda, Stroll, S chumacher, Vettel, Zhou, Bottas, Ricciardo, Ocon, Albon, Latifi and Russell (PL).
We're five minutes away from the start of the formation lap.
Drivers are now being strapped into their cars.
It's now time for the Singapore national anthem!
Alonso expects it to go from intermediates to slick tyres, like in 2017.
Some parts of the track are less wet than others #SingaporeGP#F1pic.twitter.com/b7VxRXjDDN
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 2, 2022
25 minutes until the formation lap gets underway. It's been a long wait...
Let's not forget that Max Verstappen has the chance to become a two-time world champion tonight.
Verstappen needs to claim his first victory in Singapore in order to have any chance of sealing the 2022 title tonight, while he also needs nearest rivals Charles Leclerc (who starts from pole) and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez (who starts second) to both have a shocker and score lowly.
Here is a breakdown of the full permutations.
It seems unlikely, given his starting position of eighth, but in these conditions anything could happen. And we know how good Verstappen is in the wet...
I agree with Sky Sports F1's Paul di Resta's suggestion that the FIA should cut the pre-race grid procedure in order to get this race started earlier, rather than wait another hour to get going.
The regulations state that we have a three-hour maximum window to get the race run, which will only take effect when the formation lap begins at 2.05pm UK time.
Given the extra time for the track to dry out, surely we should have a standing start here on full wet tyres - or possibly intermediates - rather than a rolling start behind the Safety Car. What is the point of having extreme wet tyres if we aren't going to start racing until the track is nearly dry?
The pit lane is now open!
Paul di Resta: "If we don't have a standing start then something is wrong!"
Cars are getting started in preparation for the pit-lane opening. #SingaporeGPpic.twitter.com/GEUMnWcotJ
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 2, 2022
Reminder that George Russell is set to start from the pit lane after taking new power unit components.
UPDATE
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 2, 2022
Start procedure to begin at 20:05
Pit lane opens at 20:25
Formation lap to start at 21:05#SingaporeGP#F1pic.twitter.com/9PjmSRp4ev
For those wondering which inters and wets each driver has available: here's a graphic explaining who has what #SingaporeGP#Fit4F1 pic.twitter.com/ePlzFMXPb5
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) October 2, 2022
FIA have announced that the starting procedure will commence at 8:05pm local time (1:05pm UK) pit lane will open at 8:25pm and close at 8:35pm.
Formation lap for the race will begin at 9:05pm (2:05pm UK time).
There will be a further update in 10 minutes...
The pit lane is open, with the start procedure delayed here in Singapore! pic.twitter.com/Jq3zSqhxAD
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 2, 2022