Hamilton and Hadjar sound alarm on key Singapore setback for half the grid

To get a good launch off the line, drivers need all the available grip they can get. However, as the natural racing line is always on the outside, this leaves the inside of the track dusty and dirty, which limits the amount of grip available, and hinders the effectiveness of the tyres as they get off the line.

Speaking after qualifying Hamilton was asked about the issue and hoped that measures would be taken to make sure the left hand side of the main straight was clean ahead of the start.

He said: "I definitely think the dirty side is dirty. So I would hope they would try and clean the track. I don't know whether or not they will tonight. But yeah, the inside is definitely not great."

Racing Bull's Isack Hadjar was of the same opinion as Hamilton, and even warned he'd 'definitely' lose a position if cleaning procedures were not carried out.

He said: "Yeah, it's too much penalising [starting on the inside], that's for sure. I've tried both sides in FP, there's a clear difference, so I hope they take the most of those machines to clean the track, otherwise I'm definitely going to lose a posittion.

When asked if the situation would actually be that critical, he reaffirmed: "The street circuit is very bad on the inside lines. That was the case as well [in Baku]. Budapest was the case [as well]."

With the FIA increasing the speed limit in the pit lane, there was much talk of the race potentially becoming a two-stopper. Pirelli recently announced their estimated optimum tyre strategies ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, find out what they are here.

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