Race Recap 

We’ve waited all year for a truly incredible race, and Singapore 2023 will be remembered for years to come. Carlos Sainz led every lap to take his second win of his career and end Verstappen and Red Bull’s historic streak, but that doesn’t come close to telling the whole story. An early Ferrari 1-2 led to a tense period of tyre management before Sargeant’s debris brought out a safety car. The race came alive as Leclerc, the Mercedes, and midfield cars frantically battled to get past the Red Bulls on their older hard tires. A front five of Ferraris, Mercedes, and Norris formed until Ocon’s gearbox packed up, causing a long virtual safety car. Russell and Hamilton took the gamble on new mediums, and the chase was on. They both battled past Leclerc, and four cars fought for the win. The tension was incredible as each driver got closer and closer to the Singapore walls, driving with extreme precision and tactical risk. Both Norris and Russell clipped the wall on the last lap, but the Mercedes didn’t get away with it, retiring into the barriers and handing the podium to Hamilton. Sainz held on, pulling Norris along with DRS assistance, securing the first non-Red Bull win of the year. There were fights across the whole grid, some cracking overtakes, tension and uncertainty throughout, and a tussle for victory. Some patience was needed early on, but the most entertaining race this season is Singapore. 

Race Rating - 9/10

Driver of the Day – Carlos “Smooth Operator” Sainz Jr. 

Perfection? It’s hard to argue against it. Pole position, leading every lap, and an excellent combination of race management and pace—this feels like a bit of a statement for the Spaniard. Questions were asked before the summer break, with rumours of a replacement being lined up. What a way to shut the critics up. 

Overtake of the Race – Esteban Ocon on Sergio Perez 

It’s a great shame that Alpine can’t give their drivers consistency in their machinery because Ocon was driving a sensational race. This drive was epitomised by not only the opportunistic move on former teammate Alonso but also the switchback of dreams on Perez. Gutsy and punchy from the Frenchman. 

Raw Reaction 

There was a joyous feel to the end of the race as everyone caught their breath in the sweltering heat. Carlando was back, and the two of them shared a warm embrace in Parc Ferme. Lewis was very pleased with the drive and progress shown by Mercedes, and he showed Russell some support. George was visibly upset by his mistake and very emotional on team radio. The British driver will need to bounce back quickly in just a week’s time. Piastri, Leclerc, and Gasly were content with their point-scoring efforts, while Lawson downplayed his first points in F1. He is a bit of a headache for the Red Bull hierarchy because he does not look like a rookie in the slightest. Red Bull’s tone was very much ‘just watch us next week,’ and I think the grid should be worried about the reaction coming from Max. And shoutout to Haas and Magnussen; what a point for them and a jubilant celebration to match. 

Ws and Ls

W - Oscar Piastri – This guy is the real deal. His calmness off track translates to this drive being quiet and smooth. P17 to P7—that's tough anywhere, let alone Singapore. Easily Rookie of the Year, and a race winner in waiting for me. 

W - Liam Lawson – This guy is in his third ever race in a subpar AlphaTauri; how is he finishing in the points? Consistency is key for the Kiwi, and he’s looking like a no-brainer for either AlphaTauri or Williams next year. 

W - Lando Norris – Lando is a good litmus test to see if people understand the sport. If you watch this guy every week, you’ll know his championship material, not just a streamer or a pretty face. Strong defending, race management, and good qualifying resulted in another podium, and that first win is coming. 

L - Lance Stroll – I am growing really frustrated with Lance. Firstly, I am so glad that he’s relatively unharmed from that scary crash in qualifying; safety has come so far in Formula 1. But I’ve had enough of defending Stroll; he is talented and fast, but this season is not good enough for a team like Aston Martin. It is his seventh year, and he has really stagnated. It is unlikely to happen given his dad, but a return to Williams could be a better place for Lance, or a move to another talent of his, endurance racing. 

L - Sergio Perez – Granted, Red Bull were slow this weekend, but Checo, that was a horrendous weekend. Knocked out in Q2, retiring Tsunoda in a Lap 1 coming together, poor pace compared to Max, and a joke of a crash with Albon. He deserved some harsher punishment for those incidents and needs to forget everything about this weekend. 

L - Logan Sargeant – I think time is running out for rookie Logan. The American is allowed a lot of leeway given it’s his first year, but Lawson and Piastri doing so well is not a good look. Without any points and a resounding loss in the teammate battle with Albon, Williams will be keeping an eye out for a replacement. 

Team Talk 

Aston Martin: What a dreadful weekend for the team! The car looks super inconsistent, with Alonso publicly complaining about its poor drivability. Stroll’s big mistake in qualifying meant only one car could run in the race, but Lance had no pace even before the last corner shunt. Fernando failed to score points for the first time all year, crossing the pit entry line for a penalty, a spin after the second stop, and a 25-second pit stop. 

Stewards Notebook 

I was quite disappointed by a few of the decisions made this weekend. I try to give the benefit of the doubt to the stewards, but confusion and inconsistency hurt the sport's image. Perez getting away with coming together with Tsunoda and the 5-second penalty for causing a collision bring us back to the conversation on consequence versus action. Verstappen didn't receive a grid-place drop for impeding as Red Bull instructed the sister team not to contest. It was predictable, but not very sporting. The debacle over giving positions back after going off track was a sour note to a great weekend of racing. 

A quick note on ‘Silly Season,’ the term used for F1 seat allocation. Sargeant comes under more and more pressure, while Lawson’s stock is going to the moon. My guess? One of the four drivers from Perez, Ricciardo, Lawson, and Tsunoda who doesn’t get a Red Bull-affiliated seat will get the second Williams seat. Who knows who that will be? 

The Story Continues…

Looking ahead to the Japanese Grand Prix, it’s a quick turnaround. A fan and driver favourite and Tsunoda’s home race, it should be a cracker. A warning for the 6 a.m. start BST: good luck to those dedicated enough to tune in. 

What about the Red Bull's pace? Will it return? In short, yes. The real loss of pace came from the bumps, ride height issues, and setup struggles. I fully expect a simple win, but it will be interesting to see if they start looking ahead to next year with the constructors championship nearly wrapped up.