Ferrari's Carlos Sainz won a thrilling 2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday at the Marina Bay Circuit. It was the second win of his career and perhaps one for the ages. It also ended the record-setting streak of 10 wins by Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen, though the reigning champion remains on track to secure his third consecutive title.
Sainz was joined on the podium by McLaren's Lando Norris and Mercedes-Benz AMG's Lewis Hamilton, who respectively finished just 0.8 and 1.2 seconds behind the winner. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Verstappen rounded out the top five.
The race, which served as round 16 of the 2023 season, started with Sainz on the pole position and Mercedes' George Russell also at the front of the grid. Sainz got the better start and Leclerc, who started in the second row, made the most of his soft tires to jump ahead of Russell early on to give Ferrari the top two positions.
The race was then on pilot mode until lap 20 when Williams' Logan Sargeant crashed into a barrier, resulting in a safety car period. Both Ferrari drivers pitted, but while Sainz managed to keep his lead position, Leclerc dropped to sixth after being held up in pit lane. Sainz didn't have it easy, though, as Russell kept constant pressure on him for the next several laps.
2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
There were plenty of additional battles to watch, including between Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso. The race took another turn on lap 44 when Alpine's Esteban Ocon came to a stop on the track, resulting in a virtual safety car period.
Sainz remained in the lead during this time, followed by Norris and Leclerc, though Leclerc soon lost the third place to Russell. In a brilliant piece of racing near the end, Russell and Hamilton closed in on Norris and Sainz, but Sainz backed off a bit to allow his McLaren rival to get close enough to permit use of the Drag Reduction System. Sainz maintained the lead and Norris held onto second as the boost made it harder for the Mercedes duo to pass him. Then on the final lap, Russell pushed a little too hard and clipped a wall, ending his race with a crash and handing third position to Hamilton.
AlphaTauri's Liam Lawson is also worthy of mention. The rookie driver, who is filling in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, finished ninth to secure his first career points.
Following the weekend's action, Verstappen continues to lead the 2023 Drivers' Championship with 374 points. Perez is second with 223 points and Hamilton is third with 180 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull leads with 597 points. Mercedes is second with 289 points and Ferrari is third with 265 points. The next race on the calendar is the Japanese Grand Prix this coming weekend.
2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
Below are the full results from the 2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix:
1) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
2) Lando Norris, McLaren +0.812 seconds
3) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-Benz AMG +1.269 seconds
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +21.177 seconds
5) Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing +21.441 seconds
6) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri +38.441 seconds
7) Oscar Piastri, McLaren +41.479 seconds
8) Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing +54.534 seconds
9) Liam Lawson, AlphaTauri +65.918 seconds
10) Kevin Magnussen, Haas +72.116 seconds
11) Alexander Albon, Williams +73.417 seconds
12) Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo +83.649 seconds
13) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas +86.201 seconds
14) Logan Sargeant, Williams +86.889 seconds
15) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +87.603 seconds
16) George Russell, Mercedes-Benz AMG – DNF
NC) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo – DNF
NC) Esteban Ocon, Alpine – DNF
NC) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri – DNF
NC) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin – DNS
