F1 LIVE | The 2023 Singapore Grand Prix: Who will end Verstappen's run?
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The 2023 Singapore Grand Prix is about to start. Qualifying at the Marina Bay Street Circuit produced one of the most exciting grids in recent memory. Red Bull Racing have won every race so far this season, but they will need a miracle to keep the streak going, as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez both failed to reach Q3. Carlos Sainz will start from pole, with George Russell on the front row. This is a race you don't want to miss.
F1 LIVE | The 2023 Singapore Grand Prix
Both Red Bull drivers were out in the second part of qualifying. The car's balance was not right at all, resulting in a dramatic result. The battle for pole position became completely open without a Red Bull in the top ten. The Ferrari drivers were in front; Sainz managed to take pole for the second weekend in a row, and teammate Leclerc will start the race from P3. Mercedes driver Russell nestled between both Ferraris and will start second.
Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg will both start in the top ten. After a strong qualifying session, they will start sixth and ninth, respectively. Liam Lawson reached Q3 in only his third Grand Prix and will start the Singapore GP in tenth place. Lance Stroll crashed hard in qualifying and hasn't been deemed fit enough to race on Sunday.
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Prediction for the Singapore GP
The minimal differences in top speed show that the teams also have little confidence in overtaking at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The teams and drivers wanted an extra DRS zone on the extra straight, but it did not materialise. As a result, overtaking, as in previous editions, seems nigh on impossible. Top speed is less important to teams; it is all about pace and keeping the tyres in one piece.
In terms of pace, Alonso has the best credentials, but from P6, things will have to get very crazy for him to take the lead. An undercut can be powerful, but surprising five drivers with an undercut might be a bit too much to ask. Alonso could gamble on a safety car, though. Start on a harder tyre and stay out for a long time. The Aston Martin doesn't burn tyres quickly, and with good pace, Alonso could then stay in the lead for a long time, hoping for an incident.
Mercedes could also spread their chances that way. Russell full on the Ferrari's attack, leaving Hamilton on a harder tyre for longer. For Ferrari, it's a bit trickier. With P1 and P3 in hand, they won't want to give up track position so easily. Russell is also on the dirty side, so with a good start, Leclerc even has a chance of entering second at turn one.
It will be up to Russell to keep the pressure as high as possible. The Briton doesn't necessarily have the top speed to overtake, but he does have the pace to follow and/or stay ahead of the Ferraris. He can cause Ferrari to panic and bring in a driver too early. Russell also seems to have the advantage of Mercedes being less prone to tyre wear than Ferrari.
It promises to be an exciting race on Sunday, with chances for the entire top six. The top three said after qualifying that Red Bull Racing should not be ruled out, but the chances of Red Bull driving to the podium are extremely slim. Verstappen and Perez will need a chaotic (rain) race to do so, and even then, it remains to be seen whether the RB19 will be comfortable to drive when it rains in Singapore. Rather, it looks like damage limitation for Red Bull and on to Japan. The win looks set to go elsewhere. The only question is who will take that chance.