Source – Formula1.com
In the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday night, Lando Norris turned pole position into victory with a strong charge. He finished 20 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen and cut the championship leader’s lead in points once again.
Lando Norris banished his past misfortunes at Singapore with a flawless performance, leading from pole position to claim a dominant victory at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. After overcoming Max Verstappen at Turn 1, Norris controlled the race with remarkable composure, brushing the walls a few times but never losing his grip on the lead. His pace was untouchable, and while Verstappen trailed in second place, the Dutchman had no answer to the McLaren driver’s raw speed.
The race was a triumph for McLaren in more ways than one. Oscar Piastri, who started fifth, charged his way up to third, securing a double podium for the team and helping them extend their lead over Red Bull in the constructors’ standings. It was a day to forget for Sergio Perez, who could only manage a lowly points finish after being knocked out in Q2.
Piastri’s performance was a masterclass in tyre management and strategy. He stayed out longer than any other driver in the first stint, allowing him to capitalize on fresher rubber later in the race. His impressive overtakes on the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell showcased his growing confidence, and while Charles Leclerc attempted a similar late charge, the Ferrari driver couldn’t quite get past Russell before the chequered flag dropped.
Leclerc had an eventful race of his own. After clearing Hamilton with relative ease, he found himself sandwiched between the two Silver Arrows, finishing a strong sixth. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, had a more difficult day, recovering from a qualifying crash to take seventh. Fernando Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, managed to claim eighth, while Nico Hulkenberg brought some much-needed joy to Haas with a ninth-place finish. Perez rounded out the top ten, capping off a frustrating weekend.
Further down the field, Franco Colapinto continued to impress in his rookie season, finishing just outside the points in 11th. His strong drive added to his growing reputation after standout performances in Italy and Azerbaijan. Colapinto was just a few seconds away from Perez at the finish, but it was a race that once again underlined his potential.
Behind him, Yuki Tsunoda in the lead Red Bull and Esteban Ocon in the Alpine couldn’t make much of an impact, finishing 12th and 13th respectively. Lance Stroll struggled to find any rhythm and ended up 14th in the second Aston Martin. The Kick Sauber pair of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas had a quiet race, crossing the line in 15th and 16th, capitalizing on the struggles of Pierre Gasly, whose Alpine had a poor outing. Daniel Ricciardo endured a difficult three-stop race but managed to set the fastest lap after a late switch to soft tyres.
There was disappointment for Williams, with Alex Albon losing several places at the start after being forced wide by his teammate Colapinto. The Thai driver later retired due to an overheating issue. Kevin Magnussen also joined the DNF list after suffering a puncture in the closing stages of the race, further adding to Haas’ woes.
Norris punched the air in delight as he crossed the line, his victory cutting Verstappen’s championship lead from 59 points to 52. It was a significant moment for McLaren as they left Singapore with an increased 41-point advantage over Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.
The race itself began under typically tense conditions. Following Norris’ stunning pole position on Saturday, all eyes were on the start as the field prepared for 62 demanding laps around Singapore’s iconic street circuit. The Marina Bay track, with its unforgiving walls and tight corners, has a 100% Safety Car record since joining the F1 calendar in 2008, and drama was expected once again.
Aston Martin faced early jitters before the race even began, with Lance Stroll reporting a worrying vibration under braking as he made his way to the grid. Mechanics swarmed his car to make hurried repairs, but the Canadian struggled to find his rhythm during the race.
As the lights went out, Norris held his nerve, keeping Verstappen at bay into Turn 1. Verstappen had to fend off a brief attack from Hamilton, but ultimately settled into second place. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri found himself compromised in his duel with Russell, allowing Nico Hulkenberg to slip through into fifth. Piastri quickly recovered, reclaiming his position under braking at Turn 7.
The opening laps saw Alonso, Leclerc, Colapinto, and Perez round out the top ten, with Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz falling back. Albon, who claimed he was “dive-bombed” by Colapinto, dropped all the way down to 15th after being forced wide at the start.
Norris was soon pulling clear of Verstappen, with his McLaren engineers calmly asking if he could extend the gap to five seconds. True to form, Norris responded with a series of blistering laps, stretching his lead to over 13 seconds by Lap 18.
Elsewhere, Perez was full of praise for Colapinto’s defensive driving, calling the rookie’s efforts “very good” over the radio. However, disaster struck Albon as his car began to overheat, forcing him to retire. Sainz, who had pitted early, was making his way back through the field, while Hamilton voiced concerns over his own pit stop strategy, predicting issues with taking his hard tyres to the end.
The race had its share of tense moments, including a heart-stopping incident when Norris brushed the wall at Turn 14 after locking up under braking. While McLaren decided against changing his front wing, they confirmed a “small issue” over the radio. Fortunately, the British driver managed the situation and maintained his lead.
As the race entered its final stages, it was all about consolidation for Norris, who held a comfortable advantage over Verstappen. Piastri, meanwhile, continued his charge, passing Russell for third, leaving the Mercedes driver frustrated as his cockpit turned into a “sauna.”
With just a few laps remaining, Magnussen’s puncture threw the fastest lap bonus into question, but Ricciardo’s late pit stop saw the Australian snatch that honor. Norris cruised to victory, adding another win to his triumphs in Miami and the Netherlands earlier in the season.
Behind the podium finishers, Leclerc’s charge fizzled out as he had to settle for fifth, with Hamilton, Sainz, Alonso, Hulkenberg, and Perez rounding out the points. Colapinto’s impressive drive earned him 11th, while Tsunoda, Ocon, and Stroll completed a tough day for the midfield.
Norris’ win not only boosted his own standing but also placed McLaren in a commanding position as they continue their remarkable resurgence. Red Bull, on the other hand, will need to regroup and find answers to McLaren’s ever-growing challenge as the season heads into its final stages.
