Max Verstappen just seems to never stop winning. He has now won 10 races on the bounce, and he will be eager to add a Singapore Grand Prix victory to his resume as he is closing in on yet another Formula 1 title.
The Dutchman, who has won 12 out of 14 races so far this year, has never won in Marina Bay, but it’s likely that he’ll finally do it this weekend. And if certain things fall into place, he can call himself a three-time world champion with a few more races to spare.
With Verstappen breaking away from the pack, there’s a bigger focus on the “silly season” as several teams unveil their confirmed drivers for next year one by one.
Check out what’s in store in Marina Bay as SBOTOP discusses the latest Singapore Grand Prix 2023 updates.
Red Bull can clinch the title soon
The Singapore Grand Prix is the first opportunity for Red Bull to have the 2023 Formula 1 constructors’ title mathematically sewn up for the second season in a row.
Saying that Red Bull have been dominant this year is an understatement because Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have been picking up one positive result after another. They now lead by at least 310 points in the constructors’ table, which appears insurmountable for their opponents to overcome.
If they claim a one-two result and the bonus for having the fastest lap (44 points) this weekend and Mercedes only score one point or fewer, then their title defence is finally complete.
However, Mercedes have been doing well recently, and it’s unlikely that they won’t come away with any points. The only way that could happen is if both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell pick up DNFs this weekend. Instead, Suzuka is the more likely venue for Red Bull (and Verstappen) to clinch the championship.
Red Bull would also have to look out for Ferrari, which gave them fits last weekend in Monza.
Max Verstappen had to overtake pole-sitter Carlos Sainz Jr. in Sunday’s race at Monza, while Sergio Perez had to hurdle the likes of George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz Jr. to mark Red Bull’s sixth one-two finish of the campaign.
Mercedes, Alfa Romeo announce key extensions
Mercedes just announced that they would continue with the pairing of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell until the end of the 2025 season.
Hamilton’s current contract was set to expire at the end of the season, and there were fears that he might leave the Silver Arrows because extension talks were dragged out. But now that both sides have come to an agreement, all of them can focus solely on delivering more results this season.
Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo confirmed that they won’t make any changes to their lineup as they signed Zhou Guanyu to a one-year extension. This decision comes as no surprise given his decent performances this year despite having a subpar car.
History
Max Verstappen had the chance to win the whole thing in Marina Bay last year, but he had one of the worst results he had in quite some time, finishing seventh in the race. But that didn’t bother him one bit, as he clinched the title in Suzuka, Japan, one week later.
The Dutchman’s best outing so far on this track was when he finished P2 behind Lewis Hamilton in the 2018 edition of this particular race.
Charles Leclerc was able to take pole position in the last two editions (2019 and 2022), but Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez were the ones who claimed the chequered flag.
Sebastian Vettel has the most wins on this track with five, including a three-peat from 2011 to 2013, while Lewis Hamilton is right behind him with four, including two consecutive triumphs in 2017 and 2018.
What are the odds?
All signs point to a first-ever Singapore Grand Prix victory for Max Verstappen. In the qualifiers, the Dutchman is poised to take pole position, as the Singapore Grand Prix 2023 odds have him at 1.40 compared to 2.72 against any other driver.
And in the actual race itself, Verstappen is priced at 1.25, compared to 3.32 for any other driver. With him and Sergio Perez (1.45) leading the way, Red Bull are 1.17 favourites to rack up a lot of points.
Fresh from a solid weekend in Monza, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc are top contenders for the final podium spot behind Verstappen and Perez at 1.67 and 1.87, respectively, while Lewis Hamilton has a puncher’s chance at 2.00.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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