Sunday Debrief: Norris storms ahead to win the Singapore Grand Prix with a 20-second lead over championship rival Verstappen

Lando Norris wins under the lights in Singapore 20 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. Verstappen splitting the McLarens to make it a McLaren P1 and 3, as the Papaya team extend their lead in the constructor’s championship.

 

Qualifying

Lando Norris claimed pole for Sunday’s race, with one final stellar lap following Sainz’s shunt with the wall in Q3. Norris qualifying a few tenths ahead of Verstappen, who also lined up on the front row, beside Norris.

 

The Mercedes drivers lined up on the second row, led by Lewis Hamilton, who faced balance issues throughout practice sessions over the weekend. The mechanics quick to get the Mercedes up to speed for qualifying , Russell delighting the team further as he put his Mercedes alongside his teammate for Sunday’s race.

 

Ferrari faced a disastrous session, with Sainz hitting the wall in Q3 as he prepared to start his flying lap, sending the Spaniard to P10 for the Grand Prix. Leclerc not doing no greater than his teammate, only had enough to put his Ferrari in P9 after having a lap time deleted for track limits.

 

Nico Hulkenberg once again showing his mastery in qualifying, as he lined up his Haas in P6 ahead of Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda  and the two Ferrari’s and alongside Oscar Piastri in P5.

 

Race

Norris with a history of poor starts from pole, had a stellar start to put his McLaren ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull as the pair went into turn 1. Norris controlling the pack in the opening laps, before speeding off and entering a race of his own.

 

Hamilton was the only driver in the top 10 to start the race of Soft tyres, the decision proving to be the wrong one as the brit came into the pits at the end of lap 17 for a fresh set of Hards, sending him from P3 to P13. Later in the race, Leclerc would go on to breeze past Hamilton and move up into P5 as he began to charge down Russell in the other Mercedes. Russell on a different tyre strategy, did much better to hold off Leclerc up until the chequered flag, as he defended off Leclerc to finish the race in P4, the Ferrari settling for P5. Sainz in the other Mercedes making up 3 places from the start of the race to take P7 at the chequered flag.

 

Albon was the only driver to retire out of the race on lap 15. The Williams driver complaing over the radio about his car overheating.

 

All eyes were on Daniel Ricciardo this weekend, with rumours circulating about  his future in the sport after the Singapore Grand Prix, rumours going around that this could be the final race for the Aussie driver, who has competed in Formula Once since 2011. In the end Ricciardo finished in P18 but was able to take the fastest lap of the race, snatching a point from his former teammate at McLaren, Lando Norris, in what could be his final race in Formula One. The fans voting Ricciardo driver of the day for potentially the last time.

 

In the end it was Norris to drive his McLaren to the top step on the podium, with Verstappen trailing behind accompanied by Piastri. McLaren making 2024 season as the continue to trail ahead in the constructors, as Norris closes in on Verstappen in the driver battle.