Carlos Sainz on Sunday was finally able to claim victory from pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix, ending an impressive win streak for Red Bull.
The win was the first of the season for Sainz, who hadn’t finished higher than fourth until the last two races. But the Ferrari driver finished third at the Italian Grand Prix, and then won in Singapore.
The victory had Sainz singing “Smooth Operator.”
Carlos Sainz singing "Smooth Operator" on the radio.
You're damn right, man. That was THE smoothest operation of all.— bru, (@sculptsainz) September 17, 2023
After struggling all weekend and having both cars fail to make into the 3rd round of qualifying, both Red Bull cars finished off the podium, with Max Verstappen finishing 5th and Serio Perez finishing 8th.
With Red Bull starting from the rear of the grid, the race hinged on the tire strategy employed by McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes. While McLaren and Ferrari opted to stay out on older tires during a late safety car period, Mercedes executed a double pit stop for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton on lap 45, equipping them with fresh medium compound tires.
Entering the final 3 laps, only a 2-second gap separated the top 4 cars, but Lando Norris was able to hold off both Mercedes drivers, securing a second-place finish. However, the race took a dramatic turn when George Russell crashed into the barriers on the last lap, allowing Lewis Hamilton to claim 3rd place.
Despite finishing off the podium in Singapore, Red Bull still holds a commanding lead in both the drivers and constructors standing. With only a week until the next race at the Japanese Grand Prix, it will be interesting to see if Red Bull is able to resolve its issues uncovered in Singapore and reclaim the dominant form it has demonstrated all season.
