(Singapore) Britain’s Lando Norris survived two close calls with the wall to win the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday and further reduce Max Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ standings.
Norris started from pole position, ahead of Verstappen, and gradually built up a large lead to his third career victory. They have all come this season.
On two occasions the McLaren driver locked his wheels and made contact with the barriers, but he appeared to be little affected by his missteps.
“It was an incredible race. A few moments that were a little too extreme,” Norris said. “It’s not necessarily that you’re overdoing it. Sometimes you might be too relaxed. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. I don’t know what it was, but it was tough.”
Verstappen finished second for Red Bull in a largely uneventful race after he held off Lewis Hamilton at the very first corner of the race.
PHOTO VINCENT THIAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dutchman Max Verstappen (left), Briton Lando Norris (second from right) and Australian Oscar Piastri (right).
Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) took third after starting the race from the fifth tier. The winner of last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix overtook Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on track.
Russell and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) completed the top 5. Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) followed in order.
Quebecer Lance Stroll had an anonymous race, finishing 14the after having taken the departure of the 17the rank. His Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso came in eighth.
“It was a tough weekend in Singapore. On my way to the grid I felt a strange vibration so the team quickly replaced the brakes as a precaution,” Stroll revealed in a statement. “It was a great effort from the mechanics and I thank them for getting the job done in the heat.”
PHOTO CAROLINE CHIA, REUTERS
Quebecer Lance Stroll had an anonymous race, finishing 14the after having taken the departure of the 17the echelon.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult race and we suffered from the same problems as Saturday: grip and balance.”
Verstappen looked relaxed on Sunday, maintaining second position and limiting the damage to the standings. His lead went from 59 to 52 points ahead of Norris.
“I think on a weekend where we knew we were going to struggle, second is a great achievement,” Verstappen said. “Of course, we’re not happy to be second. Now we have to improve and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
There are six Grands Prix left in the season, three of which will be sprint races. The next stop will be the United States Grand Prix in four weeks.
Ricciardo emotional
Daniel Ricciardo was once tipped to be a future champion. As a final act in Formula 1, he could well have played a role in the title fight. The Australian’s efforts at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix saw him set the fastest lap of the race and deny Norris a point.
Ricciardo drives for RB, Red Bull’s second team, which Verstappen plays for. Ricciardo has previously been a teammate of Verstappen at Red Bull and Norris at McLaren.
“If Max wins by one point, I’ll guarantee myself a nice Christmas present,” Ricciardo told British broadcaster Sky Sports. Verstappen thanked Ricciardo after the race on the radio.
PHOTO LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Daniel Ricciardo
Visibly moved, Ricciardo – a popular figure in F1 – finds himself in the spotlight ahead of Red Bull’s widely expected decision to replace him with New Zealand driver Liam Lawson at the United States Grand Prix in four weeks.
The decision to go for the fastest lap also generated controversy. Since he finished outside the top 10Ricciardo did not get the extra point.
The point taken from Norris’s haul means Verstappen can now be content with finishing every race second to Norris and still be crowned world champion for a fourth time.
Ricciardo gave the clearest hint yet that this could be his last race. “A lot of emotions because I’m aware it could be over,” he said.
Daniel Ricciardo’s career looked to be over in 2022 when he was completely dominated by Lando Norris at McLaren. After a few months as a reserve driver at Red Bull, he got another chance last year when RB fired Nyck de Vries.
The results are mixed since he has only finished four times in the top 10 in 25 races.
“I always said I didn’t want to come back just to be on the grid, I wanted to try to fight at the front and come back with Red Bull, and obviously that didn’t happen. So I also have to ask myself the question: ‘What else can I do?’” Ricciardo told Sky Sports.
“Maybe the fairytale ending didn’t happen, but I have to look back on about 13 years and I’m proud.”
Ricciardo has won eight races in F1.
Check out the race results
Check out the drivers’ rankings
With James Ellingworth, Associated Press