The Formula 1 race in Singapore ended with McLaren Lando Norris to the party. Britti won for the third time this season. He narrowed down Max Verstappen’s lead in the World Series to 52 points, with six races left in the season.
Verstappen was second in Singapore and McLaren Oscar Piastri third.
McLaren doubled its lead in the manufacturers’ World Series over Red Bull to 41 points. McLaren has not won the manufacturers’ title since 1998 and Mika Häkkinen first championship season.
Has Red Bull already lost the game?
Sports expert Jukka Mildh takes a look at what’s in the F1 world after the Singapore race.
How did the race end?
The hot and humid street race in Singapore ended as expected: When Lando Norris kept Max Verstappen behind him at the start, there was no longer any doubt about the winner.
Especially since there was no safety car at all on the track in Singapore.
Norris’ performance in the leading position of the competition became a topic of conversation, despite being overwhelming. Norris fell to two easy driving mistakes, despite leading the race by far.
With worse luck, the British race could have been embarrassingly ruined. The equivalent can no longer be afforded if Norris wants to challenge Verstappen in the championship fight.
– The errors say that he had the drive on. He took perhaps unnecessary risks. Verstappen cannot be underestimated, even if Red Bull is underpowered. If Norris wants to win the championship, he must continue to drive at a really high level, F1 expert Jukka Mildh emphasizes.
What speaks?
McLaren already increased its lead in the Manufacturers’ World Series to 41 points. The situation of Red Bull, which has won the last two championships, already looks difficult, even though McLaren has led the series for only one race.
– Red Bull’s game is lost. Sergio Perez can no longer execute. The McLarens are constantly close to the podium, and Verstappen alone cannot win overwhelmingly, Mildh points out.
Red Bull and Mercedes have taken every team championship since 2010. The previous champion from outside these stables had won Brawn in 2009, which was bought by Mercedes after the season.
Apart from Red Bull and Mercedes, the previous champion of the current teams has been Ferrari, who took the title in 2008.
McLaren has won eight manufacturers’ championships, but the last time it achieved the trick was 26 years ago, when Mika Häkkinen won the championship.
– The Formula Ones are on the verge of a breakthrough. The entry of McLaren is not a surprise, but it is a great thing that they are back on top. This trend will continue, Mildh explains.
The change is also reflected in the fact that Verstappen has already driven eight races without a win. This has not been seen since the 2020 season.
The consequences of the change can be seen in Verstappen’s face, essence and words.
– Verstappen is very frustrated. After all, he is a child of nature. The speed with which McLaren has gone by can be seen in all kinds of things and also in roars, says Mildh, referring to the “cussing riot” that took laps during the weekend.
The fact that Verstappen is also indicative of frustration comment after the racehow banning and sanctioning swearing will certainly affect him when he considers his future in the F1 series.
Who flopped?
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was out of the top ten in qualifying, i.e. the final section. Even though the Mexican’s opening round was excellent and he got into the top ten, the competition only left him with one point.
Red Bull lost the fight between the second drivers against McLaren in a really dull way: Oscar Piastri drove well on Sunday and moved up to third.
– Perez should have been changed already. Red Bull loses points to Perez, which means revenue and reputation. He is at stake at the moment, Mildh points out.
What about Bottas?
Valtteri Bottas the weekend repeated a familiar pattern: the Finn was a team mate at times Guanyu Zhouta faster – and that’s it. Sauber’s dismal performance does not give either driver a chance to score points.
Instead, something positive can be gleaned from the fact that, in connection with Singapore, the Swiss magazine Blick revealed that Bottas will get a one-year contract extension for Sauber.
In Mildh’s opinion, the news is expected, because Sauber needs Bottas’ expertise for the era starting from Audi’s 2026 season. Bottas is a ten-time race winner, and its value cannot be underestimated.
– It would be stupid if a young driver was chosen for Audi on political or financial grounds. The project has to be started immediately, and for that next year we have to organize already. The most important thing in F1 is a driver who knows how to win, Mildh emphasizes.
Who surprised?
RB’s Daniel Ricciardo surprised stating after the racethat his career could end at the Singapore event. The 35-year-old con artist’s contract and the continuation of his career are on hold, but the timing still surprised many. There are still six races left in the season.
by Liam Lawson expected to replace the Australian.
– It will be a shame if Ricciardo is not given the rest of the season to drive. Time is just money and something needs to be done in order to be ready for next year. Lawson is wanted already for the 2026 season, Mildh believes.
In the end, Ricciardo drove the fastest lap in Singapore and thus helped his former teammate Verstappen. Otherwise, the extra point would have gone to Norris.
The behind-the-scenes of the F1 series says that McLaren raised a stick because of the trick A collaboration between Red Bull and sister team RB. McLaren did not directly accuse the teams of collusion prohibited by the rules, but the team manager did Andrea Stella required a reaction from the series to avoid it.