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Max Verstappen tries to make a move on Lando Norris on the restart and has a huge block
Max Verstappen tries to make a move on Lando Norris on the restart and has a huge block
Max Verstappen was left to rue an “incredibly messy” weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix after his hopes of sealing the world championship at the Marina Bay Street circuit faded with a string of mistakes.
Having arrived in Singapore on his 25th birthday weekend with an active five-match winning streak and faint but not entirely unrealistic hopes of sealing the title, everything was looking rosy for Verstappen.
However, an under-fuelled mistake by Red Bull in qualifying saw him go from a likely pole position start to eighth on the grid, before his own mistakes ended any hopes of a podium as he finished seventh in the race.
“It’s not where we want to be,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1 after team-mate Sergio Perez took victory.
“You put yourself in a similar spot yesterday and it can either work brilliantly and you get back in front or it can be very disappointing like we did.”
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Highlights of the Singapore Grand Prix from the Marina Bay Street circuit
Highlights of the Singapore Grand Prix from the Marina Bay Street circuit
Verstappen made a terrible start, losing four places as he almost stopped on the grid, leaving him 12th at the end of the first lap.
However, he quickly recovered, moving up to seventh before being held up by Fernando Alonso, whose retirement with engine failure moved the Dutchman up to sixth.
He would gain another place during the round of pit stops that followed, but then on the restart after the last of five safety car interventions (three virtual) in the race, attempted an ill-advised pass on Lando Norris.
A big lockout saw him blow out his tires as well as run into the escape lane before having to pit once more.
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Max Verstappen was disappointed after finishing seventh in the Singapore Grand Prix
Max Verstappen was disappointed after finishing seventh in the Singapore Grand Prix
He would stage another spirited comeback, including passing Sebastian Vettel on the final lap to finish seventh, but it meant his quest for a second title would continue in Japan next weekend.
“Seventh is better than eighth, but I’m not here for that, not with a car like this and what we showed in practice.
“It’s just incredibly messed up.”
Hamilton: I’m not going to punish myself for a crash
Lewis Hamilton has insisted he will not “punish himself” after a series of mistakes marred his race in Singapore.
Although his world title hopes have long since ended, Hamilton entered Sunday’s race with genuine designs on a first win of the season for Mercedes.
Hamilton showed strong pace all weekend and was just half a tenth off pole as he qualified behind Leclerc and Perez on Saturday.
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Sergio Perez takes the lead ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen gets off to a slow start in the Singapore Grand Prix
Sergio Perez takes the lead ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen gets off to a slow start in the Singapore Grand Prix
A strong start could have put Hamilton in contention for victory, but he got the opposite, faltering on his breakaway and allowing Carlos Sainz to take third.
It proved to be the final blow to Hamilton’s hopes as the Spaniard’s lack of speed meant Hamilton never got a chance to show if he had the speed to rival the front two.
“(It was) a difficult start and then I fell behind Carlos. I don’t know why he was so slow, but obviously I wasn’t fast enough to get past him in those conditions,” Hamilton said.
“And then I just sat behind him. I think I could have done similar times to the guys in front, but because I was behind him, I couldn’t. I think if I was third I could have kept up with the guys in front.”
After trailing Sainz closely for most of the race, frustration got the better of Hamilton on lap 33 when he stalled trying to corner the Spaniard and went straight into the Turn 7 barrier.
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Lewis Hamilton crashes into the barrier, but Mercedes manages to continue
Lewis Hamilton crashes into the barrier, but Mercedes manages to continue
The seven-time world champion was lucky to sustain manageable damage to his front wing and even managed to keep Verstappen behind him after joining track five.
However, as the incident coincided with the track being ready for slicks, Mercedes opted to pit Hamilton for a new front wing as well as new tyres.
Then, with Vettel in front of him and Verstappen behind him in the closing stages, Hamilton again made an overtaking mistake and was left to finish ninth.
“I think we started off with a pretty decent weekend and were really, really unhappy at the end,” Hamilton said. “It was hard to overtake and that lock-up at Turn 7 – when those things happen, your heart sinks a bit.
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Sergio Perez takes the lead ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen gets off to a slow start in the Singapore Grand Prix
Sergio Perez takes the lead ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen gets off to a slow start in the Singapore Grand Prix
“From then on I knew it was over, but things like this happen. I will not punish myself for a mistake.
“It was very difficult conditions for everyone. The problems we have with this car are exacerbated in the rain when it’s wet, and it’s a very, very difficult car to drive in the rain.
“It all went out the window when I locked up, so my apologies to the team, but we live and learn and I will recover.”
Hamilton’s struggles were part of a hugely disappointing weekend for Mercedes, with George Russell the last of the qualifying finishers to start from the pit lane and then gamble on slick tires before the track was ready for them.
The dismal result saw Ferrari tighten its grip on second place in the constructors’ championship, building a 66-point lead to halt Mercedes’ recent gains.
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