Lando Norris continues to reduce Max Verstappen’s lead in the standings.
Norris sliced ​​another seven points off Verstappen’s lead with a commanding victory at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday. Leading from pole, Norris held on to the lead as he won by almost 30 seconds. After controlling his pace in the opening laps, Norris distanced Verstappen and the rest of the field to make the race a sleep-inducing one.
Verstappen finished second ahead of Norris’ McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in the caution-free race. Verstappen went into the race with a 59-point lead over Norris and that lead is now 52 points with six races to go.
Seven points per race over six races is not enough for Norris to catch Verstappen. He needs some bad luck from the reigning three-time world champion and a flawless run to the finish. But the current state of affairs in the points race is also further evidence that Verstappen will not win the title as he did in 2022 and 2023.
Red Bull are now also significant underdogs for the constructors’ title. McLaren took a 20-point lead in Azerbaijan a week ago and extended that lead in Singapore. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished 10th, while McLaren added 21 points to its lead thanks to Perez’s struggles.
After Piastri, Mercedes’ George Russell held off Charles Leclerc for fourth, while Lewis Hamilton was a distant sixth. The Mercedes duo started on the second row behind Norris and Verstappen, while Hamilton started from third on the soft tyres. It was a decision that backfired badly. Hamilton did not gain any positions on the opening lap and had to pit much earlier than the other leaders around him who started on medium compound tyres.
As a result, Hamilton found himself at a disadvantage in the second half of the race, as he had older tyres than all the other drivers around him.
Norris could have taken eight points off Verstappen’s lead, but Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest lap of the race on a set of soft tyres before the chequered flag. Ricciardo was well outside the points, but his VCARB team likely deployed him to take the fastest lap – and the subsequent point – from Norris and help Verstappen.
The fastest lap could also be the way Ricciardo leaves F1. It is an open secret that Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson could take his place for the rest of the season and the topic was openly discussed on several occasions during the Sky Sports broadcast. Red Bull and its junior team VCARB have almost a month to make the decision, with the next race of the season at the Circuit of the Americas not until October 20.
Race results
1. Lando Norris, McLaren
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
4. George Russel, Mercedes
5. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
6. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
8. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
9. Nico Hülkenberg, Haas
10. Sergio Perez, Red Bull
11. Franco Colapinto, Williams
12. Yuki Tsunoda, VCARB
13. Esteban Ocon, Alps
14. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
15. Zhou Guanyu, Sauber
16. Valtteri Bottas, Sauber
17. Pierre Gasly, Alps
18. Daniel Ricciardo, VCARB
Not classified: Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Alex Albon (Williams)
