Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, who will probably fancy their chances of victory this weekend, ventured into downtown Singapore last night to sample some street food. If I were Max, I'd probably give this thing a miss...

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... and here's Dan at the excellently named Awesome Always restaurant. The chef hasn't quite mastered the Ricciardo smile yet.

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Image source, Getty Images

Far be it from me to question Lewis Hamilton's fashion sense, but those are some terrible shorts. 

This was the reigning world champion arriving at the paddock a little earlier and, as you can just about tell, it was still daylight then.

Practice gets under way at 6pm local time, which is in a little under 15 minutes, but it won't be completely dark until around an hour later.

11:00 BST: First practice (live on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online)

14:30: Second practice (audio commentary online only)

What do you reckon? Will Lewis Hamilton's shaky starts cost him? How do you reckon Mercedes will fare this weekend?

Get involved via #bbcf1, text in on 81111 (UK only) or post a comment on the BBC Sport Facebook page.

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The possibility of last year's problems resurfacing is not all that is on Lewis Hamilton's mind at the moment. 

After Nico Rosberg won the Italian Grand Prix last time out, Hamilton's advantage at the top of the standings has been cut to two points. 

By his standards, Hamilton has had some shocking starts this season and he fears it could cost him the title if he is unable to turn it around.

"If you gauge my season, then the championship could be lost by starts," he said. "From a lot of pole positions, I've lost the race from the start."

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

So, was last year’s poor performance by Mercedes in Singapore an anomaly - or an indication of a wider problem their car has with the Marina Bay Circuit? It seems surreal to suggest that a car and team this good could be so strong elsewhere but not work somehow on one track, but Mercedes have left nothing to chance. A special group was set up to analyse Singapore last year and they think they came up with some answers. But even so, the team are well aware of the potential risk this weekend creates. “There were reasons why we were off the pace (last year),” Nico Rosberg said. “We understand some of them and have made some major changes and hope to be looking a lot better but is it enough to turn around a one-second deficit we had last year? It is not an easy one.”

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When they arrived in Singapore this time last year, Mercedes were just as dominant as they have been in 2016 but around the tight and twisty streets of the Marina Bay circuit they were way off the pace.

Sebastian Vettel topped qualifying, beating Lewis Hamilton by 1.5seconds as a Mercedes-powered car failed to take pole for the first time in 31 events, and it didn't get any better on race day.

Nico Rosberg finished fourth as Vettel beat him to the flag by half a minute, while Hamilton retired from outside the podium places.

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Good morning! Or should that be good evening for Formula 1 is in the Far East this weekend for the Singapore Grand Prix.

While those of you in Britain are lamenting the fact it's only mid-morning and lunchtime seems like an age away, the sun will soon be setting in Singapore as preparations begin for F1's original night race.

The stars come out for one of the most aesthetically pleasing grands prix on the calendar but the glitz and the glamour will mean nothing to Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg if they suffer yet another Singapore slump.

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A non-Mercedes driver standing on the top step of the podium these days is like hen's teeth - rare.

Even when Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year, his win only came about after Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had wiped each other out.

This weekend, though, the Silver Arrows could well be beaten fair and square because - as last season showed - Singapore appears to be their  kryptonite...