Author: Barkha Roy
Carlos Sainz emerged victorious at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, ending Red Bull’s impressive run of 10 wins and frustrating their quest for an unbeaten season. The race unfolded as a thrilling strategic battle, with Sainz executing a flawless plan from pole position.
Sainz’s brilliance not only secured his second career win for Ferrari, but also helped his former teammate Lando Norris, who took second place, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who came third. This was the first time Red Bull hadn’t been on the podium since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.
“Formula 1 at its absolute finest” 🍿
Yep 🤯#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/fLmBW370zm
– Formula 1 (@F1) September 17, 2023
Sainz’s strategy involved maintaining a slow pace to avoid safety car interventions and conserve his tires, which also helped Norris to fend off the Mercedes chasing him. George Russell, who had newer tires, was ready for a final challenge, but crashed on the last lap when he was in third place.
Reflecting on his victory, Sainz expressed his satisfaction, saying that they had executed their race plan perfectly and that the win was something that would make Italy and Ferrari proud. Sainz impressively extended the life of his hard tires by 42 laps, winning at the slowest possible speed and ending Ferrari’s win drought from the previous year.
“Godzilla is back” 😱
You can monitor the lizard and other team radio highlights in our YouTube compilation 🍿#F1 #SingaporeGP @paramountplus
– Formula 1 (@F1) September 18, 2023
Red Bull faced problems when Max Verstappen started 11th on the grid and finished fifth. However, he has increased his lead in the Formula 1 standings with seven races remaining in the season, including the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.
Despite the closure of the Bay Grandstand for refurbishment, the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix attracted an impressive crowd of 264,108 spectators, exceeding expectations. Super Early Bird tickets for the 2024 race sold out within 72 hours, underlining the strong demand among fans.
A grandstand finish to a glittering race! 🤩
The Smooth Operator is back! 💪#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/9reQvOpYkf
– Formula 1 (@F1) September 17, 2023
The race itself got off to a dramatic start, with Sainz leading a Ferrari 1-2 at the start. A safety car period caused by Logan Sargeant’s accident led to several pit stops and a reorganization of the field. Verstappen’s strategy was affected by the safety car, and he finished fifth. Russell, on fresher tires, began a late challenge, but crashed on the last lap, allowing Hamilton to secure third place.
The last few laps of the race were intensely competitive, with Norris successfully fending off Russell’s pursuit and Sainz winning by 0.8 seconds.