Nico Rosberg led the World Drivers' Championship while his team Mercedes led the World Constructors' Championship heading into the event. Hamilton won the pole position by posting the fastest lap time in qualifying and maintained the lead into the first corner. Rosberg, his teammate, had a wiring loom steering problem and began from the pit lane. Hamilton remained in the lead after the first round of pit stops before ceding it to Ricciardo for one lap during the second pit stop phase. In the final laps, Hamilton made his final pit stop to switch tyres and rejoined just ahead of Ricciardo. Vettel led for one lap until Hamilton passed him on lap 54 to win. There were four lead changes among three different drivers during the course of the race.
The 2014 Singapore Grand Prix was the 14th of the 19 rounds in the 2014 Formula One World Championship, and the seventh Formula One Singapore race. It was held on 21 September at the 23-turn 5.065 km (3.147 mi) Marina Bay Street Circuit in Marina Bay. The official name was the 2014 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, and was scheduled to last 61 laps. Tyre supplier Pirelli brought the red-banded super-soft "options" and yellow-marked soft "primes" dry tyre compounds to the race.
Before the race Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg led the Drivers' Championship with 238 championship points, 22 ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton in second. Daniel Ricciardo was a further 50 championship points behind in third place. Mercedes led the Constructors' Championship with 454 championship points, and Red Bull were second on 272 championship points.
Saturday afternoon's qualifying session was divided into three parts. The first session ran for 18 minutes, eliminating cars that finished 17th or below. The 107% rule was in effect, requiring drivers to reach a time within 107 per cent of the quickest lap to qualify. The second part lasted 15 minutes, eliminating cars that finished 11th to 16th. The final session ran for 12 minutes determined pole position to tenth. Cars in the final session were not allowed to change tyres, using the tyres with which they set their quickest lap times in the second session.
Hamilton set the fastest time in the final session to achieve his sixth pole position of the season, and the 37th of his career with a lap of 1:45.681.
The weather at the start was dry and clear, with the air temperature between 28 and 30 °C (82 and 86 °F) and a track temperature from 33 to 37 °C (91 to 99 °F). All drivers started on the super soft compound tyre.
At the start, Hamilton led, with Vettel and Alonso close behind. Rosberg fell to 22nd after starting from the pit lane. Hamilton maintained the lead after the first round of pit stops, though he briefly ceded it to Ricciardo during the second pit stop phase. He regained the lead on lap 54, passing Vettel to win the race. The drag reduction system (DRS) had two activation zones for the race; one was from turns five and seven, and the second was on the start/finish straight from the final to first corners.
At the podium interviews, conducted by pundit and former team principal Eddie Jordan, Hamilton said he did not feel any pressure at his final pit stop because he felt comfortable with his large lead. Vettel said his team altered their strategy before the safety car and the final laps on worn tyres were "very, very much borderline" and emphasised the challenge of the track in hot and humid weather.
The result regained Hamilton the lead of the World Drivers' Championship with 241 championship points. Rosberg's retirement dropped him to second, three championship points behind Hamilton. Ricciardo consolidated third place with 181 championship points, and Alonso and Vettel moved ahead of Bottas for fourth and fifth.
The final standings for the World Drivers' Championship and the World Constructors' Championship were as follows:
Drivers' Championship:
- 1. Lewis Hamilton - 241 points - 2. Nico Rosberg - 238 points - 3. Daniel Ricciardo - 181 points
Constructors' Championship: Mercedes extended their lead to 182 championship points over Red Bull in second.
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