Lando Norris dominated in F1 Singapore GP win over Max Verstappen to cut points, as Oscar Piastri climbed up to third.
It was a clean start from McLaren’s Lando Norris in F1 Singapore GP at Marina Bay Circuit, as he led Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who tried to have a look at the Dutchman on the soft tyre but it didn’t stick.
Mercedes’ George Russell was fourth from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri who was cleared by Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg initially but the Australian came back on him to retake fifth. Both Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had an off moment too.
They took the evasive action at Turn 1 to be seventh and eighth, as Williams’ Franco Colapinto was ninth after an aggressive Turn 1 move against Alexander Albon, who dropped to 15th. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez climbed up to 10th after aggressive start as well.
Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda was the to lose out in 11th along with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who was 12th. It was a steady run then, as Visa Cash App RB’s Daniel Ricciardo opted for an early stop along with Albon and Sainz between Lap 11-14.
The Thai racer eventually retired due to suspected power unit/cooling issue. The pit stop for Hamilton happened then but he was not happy. He tried to get through Tsunoda but went wide in the penultimate corner for the Japanese driver to retake the place.
Just ahead Leclerc passed Alonso finally and the Spaniard immediately pitted. At the front, Norris created a more than 20s gap over Verstappen. The Brit before his stop on Lap 30, complained about a front wing damage, but nothing was shown on the feed.
Replays showed a lock-up at Turn 14 and brush, as he retained the lead post his pit stop. Verstappen was third but had second in his pocket. He had to clear Leclerc though, who went long, as Russell got stuck behind him and had a moment too.
Even Piastri went long until Lap 39 to pit, which meant Norris led the way from Verstappen, Russell and Hamilton with the Australian in fifth ahead of Sainz, Alonso, Leclerc, Hulkenberg and Perez in the Top 10 after their rounds of pit stop.
Colapinto dropped out of points in 11th. There were couple of team order moments where Leclerc cleared Sainz after passing Alonso to be sixth. Just outside the Top 10, Ricciardo gave way to Tsunoda for the Japanese driver to get on the chase of Colapinto.
At the front, Piastri cleared Hamilton quickly in the chase of Russell for third. He had to work slightly hard but managed to clear the Brit to be third. It was Russell in fourth from Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz, Alonso, Hulkenberg and Perez in the Top 10.
Norris had another brush with the barrier at the same corner as Russell crashed in 2023. The brush for Magnussen caught the Dane out as he suffered a left-rear puncture to drop down the order while trying to back into the pits.
There was brush for Russell too as he was chased by Leclerc in the fight for fourth after the Monegasque cleared Hamilton for fifth. Magnussen, meanwhile, retired from the race, as Ricciardo went for a late stop to take the fastest lap away from Norris.
The Brit dominated the proceedings still to win F1 Singapore GP by 20.945s margin over Verstappen, as Piastri rounded out the Top 3. A late charge from Leclerc didn’t work as he ended up fifth behind Russell by just over one second margin.
Hamilton was sixth from third, as Sainz climbed up to seventh from Alonso and Hulkenberg, where the German held off Perez in the fight for ninth. The Mexican eked out a point, with Colapinto missing out in 11th from Tsunoda.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was 13th from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Kick Sauber pair of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Ricciardo to round out the 18 runners, with Magnussen classified 19th despite not seeing the chequered flag. He was five laps down, as everyone from Alonso until Ricciardo ended up a lap down on Norris.
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact