Hamilton likens Singapore to Valencia

The Briton has a good record on street circuits so far this season, having won at Monaco and finished second at Valencia, and predicts that this weekend's new event will be the most exciting of the season.

"It's very similar to Valencia, where you have the brick walls instead of the Monaco barriers. But it's a little bit narrower and you're driving through streets instead of around a harbour," he said at a press conference for team sponsor Vodafone today. "It's very fast, but there are also some tight, slow corners.

"Overtaking is going to be very tricky, as it is at all street circuits. We have some longer straights so perhaps you can get a bit closer and maybe tow into the first corner, but I think there'll be less overtaking that on the open circuits.

"But I think the race is going to be very exciting, potentially more than the other races we've had this year. Just because it's a night race, everyone is in the unknown and we don't know what to expect. I've walked the circuit and that gives you some insight, but when we get out there it will still be a completely new experience."

The weather forecast has been a point of much speculation in the build-up, but even though rain is forecast, Hamilton hopes the nighttime activity will avoid the day's showers.

"The forecast said it was going to be raining all week, but every time I wake up (in the afternoon) it's dry and quite warm, so I think it rains in the mornings and when I wake up it's a nice day. So fingers crossed it will stay the same."

The championship leader believes McLaren and Ferrari are evenly-matched going into the weekend, but expects the softer compound tyres that Bridgestone have brought to produce similar performances to those at Valencia.

"I don't think we have the edge over Ferrari, I think we are at least equal with them," he added. "Regarding the tyre situation, they do use their tyres slightly different to ours - they struggle more with temperature but they look after their tyres better over a long run.

"Here, we are using the soft and super soft, a bit like in Valencia, and they are very strong and very competitive with that tyre. They will be strong but, as we saw in Valencia, we will be just as strong as them.

"It will just be down to qualifying and getting the lap together - and being out front."