After a 3 year absence we were back at the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend. With a lot of rain we had quite an interesting Saturday and Sunday.
Qualifying on a drying track
Qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix was driven with difficult circumstances. With some heavy rain before session started made it that it was driven on a drying track. In both Q1 and Q2 the intermediate tyre was de tyre of choice, but in Q3 the slicks were used. Because the track was becoming faster by the lap, timing was everything during Q3. With Verstappen who had to abort his last two laps, which were both faster than the pole time the top 3 was only 0.054 of a second apart.
- 🇲🇨 Charles Leclerc - 1:49.412
- 🇲🇽 Sergio Pérez - 1:49.434 (+0.022)
- 🇬🇧 Lewis Hamilton - 1:49.466 (+0.054)
Peréz only Singapore winner without a championship
Before the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix, the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit was only won by world champions. Since 2008 the Grand Prix was won by Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg, so Peréz is now the only winner in Singapore who hasn’t won a world championship.
After his victory last Sunday Sergio Peréz has now won 3 races driving for Red Bull, and all of his 3 wins were on street circuits. Checo previously won the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix bringing his total wins for the Austrian team at 3. His only pole position was also on a street circuit. He was the fastest in qualifying during the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Street Circuit.
McLaren first double top 5 finish since Monza 1-2
With Daniel Ricciardo not reaching Q2 in qualifying only driving the 16th fastest time it looked like it would be a difficult race on Sunday for the Australian driver. His teammate Lando Norris did much better, he would start the race from 6th on the grid.
Daniel won 3 positions during the opening lap, so he was in p13 at the end of the first lap. During the next 30 laps Ricciardo moved up another 3 places to p10 before the driver in front of him started to come into the pits for fresh tyres. Because of a safety car for the crash Yuki Tsunoda had, both Daniel and Lando could hold on to their positions after their pitstop during the safety car.
When the race continued Ricciardo was in p6 and Norris in p4 with Max Verstappen between them. After a couple of laps from Norris, trying to keep Max behind Daniel could take advantage from Verstappen missing the corning and falling back. Daniel moved into 5th, also finishing in that order. This double top 5 finish was the first since their 1-2 at Monza in 2021.
After 3 years back at Suzuka
Just like last weekend in Singapore, the last time there was a race at Suzuka was also 3 years ago. The last edition of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka was held on October 13th, 2019 and was won by Valtteri Bottas. Since 2014 the Japanese was only won by Mercedes drivers.
How can Verstappen become champion in Japan?
This weekend Verstappen can again become world champion. During the race at Suzuka, Max can be crowned as world champion by wining the race and driving the fastest lap. In that case, it doesn't matter where Leclerc and Pérez finish the race.
To put it in points, Verstappen will have to leave Japan with at least 112 points more than Leclerc and Pérez to become world champion. With the current standing this means Max needs to score 8 points more than Leclerc and 6 points more than Checo.