Dominant so far in 2023, Red Bull cars have been left out of the picture and Formula 1 has been the scene of its most gripping battle for victory this season.
Comfortable leader in the drivers’ standings, Max Verstappen saw his own winning streak stopped at 10 and that of his team interrupted at 15 – both records in the annals of Formula 1 – following the triumph of Carlos Sainz Jr. at the wheel of his Ferrari during the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.
Red Bull leaders dreamed of winning every race this season, but they had to settle for a fifth place for Verstappen, and an eighth position for Sergio Pérez, at the end of a weekend where both drivers experienced difficulties.
Verstappen started in number 11e position, two places ahead of Pérez.
Sainz fils started the race from the leading position and held off his main rivals over the final laps of the track which took place under great tension, and despite very worn tires.
The Spanish driver scored the second victory of his career in Formula 1, and the first by a Ferrari driver since that of Charles Leclerc at the Austrian Grand Prix on July 10, 2022.
“I felt in control. I felt like I could handle it well [la situation] and we succeeded. It’s the best feeling “, declared the Ferrari driver after celebrating his feat with the members of his team, under a sky lit up by fireworks.
Sainz Jr. beat Lando Norris (McLaren) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). George Russell, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, crashed into a wall on the final lap when he was in third position, putting Hamilton on the podium.
After the race, Sainz Jr. admitted that he had slowed down to ensure that Norris could stay within the one-second window allowing him to use the Drag Reduction System (DRS) — a device which proved useful in allowing the McLaren colors to stay ahead of the two Mercedes.
“Carlos was very generous in helping me use the DRS. It helped my race and also helped his,” remarked Norris, who has placed second in three of the last six events but is still hoping for a first F1 triumph.
“We resisted [aux Mercedes]we did everything we needed to do and more,” added Norris, who earlier in the race touched the wall in the same place as Russell.
Mercedes was in position to allow Russell to finish second before taking a risk by sending both cars to the pits in the hope of winning the race on fresher, faster tires.
Russell slipped to fourth, ahead of Hamilton, and the two teammates managed to overtake Leclerc (Ferrari), but not Norris.
“We rolled the dice this weekend,” explained Hamilton.
Leclerc finished fourth ahead of Verstappen.
The two-time reigning world champion had an eventful race after starting from outside the top 10.
Verstappen was briefly second on track behind Sainz Jr., but only because almost every other car had stopped to have new tires fitted.
After his own pit stop, the Dutchman fought to get back into the peloton from 15e place.
Despite his worst result since November 2022, Verstappen increased his lead over Pérez at the top of the Drivers’ Championship to 151 points, with 7 races remaining.
“Everything has to be perfect to win every race during a season. I knew this day was coming, and that’s absolutely correct,” Verstappen said.
In a weekend to forget for the Aston Martin team, Fernando Alonso ranked 15e after starting the 7e position.
His teammate Lance Stroll did not participate in the race the day after his violent accident from which he emerged unscathed on Saturday during the first qualifying session.