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On Sunday, September 22, 2024, at the Marina Bay Circuit, the Singapore Grand Prix will take place, the 18th race of the Formula 1 World Championship. Max Verstappen returns to the scene of the crime, the only track where Red Bull Racing struggled last season. A year has passed, yet it feels like an era, as the Dutch driver now finds himself defending against the attacks of McLaren, Scuderia Ferrari, and Mercedes in the same week his team ended their historic winning streak, leading the Constructors' Championship standings. Therefore, the morale is quite different from the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, when Carlos Sainz Jr.'s victory was dismissed as a mere blip in an otherwise triumphant and probably unrepeatable season. Moreover, the reality is that there couldn’t be a tougher track than the Marina Bay street circuit to try and reverse the trend and return to a victory that has been missing for seven races now. Max Verstappen had this to say about it:
"In general, our car doesn’t handle well on curbs and bumpy surfaces, and these are the main features of the Singapore track. So, we’ll need to try to stabilize the setup somehow. I don’t even know where to begin, but I’m confident we can do a better job than last year, although the competition is much tighter now. I think we can aim for Q3 in qualifying. McLaren? Piastri has been doing a great job lately, and overall, they are a very strong team. It’s up to us to put them under pressure, but we need to find more confidence in driving the car".
Verstappen also commented on the FIA’s decision to curb the use of foul language by drivers during races:
"In both our sport and life in general, it seems people are now a bit more sensitive to certain things. That’s just how it is; the world is changing, but I think it would be enough to just stop broadcasting team radios or give people the option to not hear certain things. Of course, there are apps now that allow fans to listen to all team radios, but limits could be set, or a short delay could be imposed to censor swear words. I think that’s the best solution, rather than banning drivers from using bad language. For example, the word fuck is not even that much of an insult. I could say that the car didn’t work in Baku because we fucked something up. Sorry for the language, but come on! What are we, five or six years old? Even kids that age who watch TV probably say bad words, even if their parents don’t agree or allow it. When they grow up, they’ll go around with their friends and swear anyway. Everyone swears, some more than others, but it depends on the kind of language one uses. Of course, online abuse is a whole other matter. These days, lots of things are broadcast live during sports events, but no athlete goes around wearing a microphone all the time. It’s normal to use coarse language when adrenaline is running high, but in other sports, it simply doesn’t get picked up by microphones. So, I really believe we could start by not broadcasting the team radios. If we don’t air them, no one will know they contain swearing".
Seven races without a win and little hope of ending this drought in Singapore. Red Bull Racing, after starting the 2024 season convincingly, lost their way in the technical development of the RB20. The Milton Keynes-based team has even lost the lead in the Constructors’ Championship standings, and Max Verstappen’s margin over Lando Norris (59 points) cannot be considered safe if Red Bull Racing doesn’t reverse this negative trend. Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull Racing until 2028, but he is protected by performance clauses that would allow the Dutch driver to leave if, for example, he is not in the top three of the Drivers' Championship after a few races in the 2025 season. Helmut Marko commented frankly on the situation:
"Verstappen won’t race like Alonso until he’s 40, so it’s only normal for him to want to make sure he’s racing with the best cars. He has performance clauses in his contract, and it’s up to us to ensure they don’t come into effect. We started the season well, but then we lost our way, just like Ferrari and Aston Martin did. We’re convinced we’ve found the way out, and we’re aiming for the race in Austin, Texas. In Baku, anyway, we were already closer to Ferrari and McLaren".
After a start to the season where Red Bull Racing secured three 1-2 finishes in the first four races, very few would have believed that within just five months, the Anglo-Austrian car would face such significant challenges that it would fail to win seven consecutive Grands Prix and fall 20 points behind McLaren in the Constructors' Championship. After a mid-season slowdown, Scuderia Ferrari is also on the rise, following the victory in Monza and the runner-up finish in Baku, now just 51 points behind McLaren. The team from Maranello has set the goal of maximizing their package race by race, avoiding any grand statements ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix:
"We’re not talking about the Constructors' Championship at all. Since the summer break, we’ve been maximizing the potential pretty well, so we need to keep going down this path. The season is still long, and we can’t relax or waste time thinking about what might happen. We’ve brought a small upgrade here that I hope will help us for the rest of the year. It’s not a mini-DRS, but we’ve brought a new front wing, which is positive. I don’t know if it will be enough to win, but we’ve historically been very strong on this track, and I hope that will be the case again this year".
Carlos Sainz Jr. also revisited the late-race crash in Baku:
"I had a bit of neck pain, but that’s normal after a crash. And I was already sore from Thursday. After the incident, I talked with Checo to find common ground on what happened; you all know I have a great relationship with him. Anyway, the beauty of this Formula 1 is that, depending on the track and the session, many drivers can be the fastest. I hope this time it will be my turn. Now it seems we’ve regained the pace after a tough period, but to be sure we’re back, we’ll wait for tracks like Austin or São Paulo, which haven’t been favorable to us in the past".
After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, much attention from the public, both on social media and major motorsport outlets, was focused on McLaren's flexible rear wing, which created a sort of mini-DRS. This prompted the FIA to issue a statement explaining that they were closely monitoring the situation, noting that all teams on the grid were passing deflection tests and meeting technical rules regarding wings. However, the FIA reserved the right to introduce measures to mitigate this phenomenon in the future. During the Singapore media sessions, the flexible rear wing was a hot topic, with McLaren drivers naturally defending their team. Lando Norris explained:
"Personally, I’m very happy with what we’re doing; we’re doing a great job. Everything has been tested and is legal, so we’re doing something allowed. This is F1; you explore within the rules. We’ve passed all the tests, the FIA is happy, and I’m proud of what the team is doing. There are several teams, including us, trying to explore the rules and do different things. But there are more teams doing it; they just aren’t shown on TV because they’re not leading the races or for other reasons. But we’re not the only ones".
Oscar Piastri also stood by his team:
"Well, it’s legal. As long as it passes all the tests, and we do plenty, it’s legal, and I’m quite satisfied. It’s certainly not a magic solution that makes us competitive. The first time I heard about it was last week, just like everyone else, and it’s not a grey area of the regulations. It’s tested every week, and it’s legal. In this sport, you can maximize performance without breaking the rules, and that’s what we’re doing, and that’s what you have to do to become a winning team".
Could the FIA’s intervention on the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix be the final word on the McLaren mini-DRS issue? It seems so. Just hours before the start of the Free Practice sessions, the FIA released a press statement informing that they could intervene even during the season against flexible wings, not, as initially established, by 2025. This clarification wasn’t just verbal, but followed by a real action by the stewards, requiring McLaren to make modifications to the rear wing. Will this finally put an end to the controversy of the week? That’s at least what Red Bull Racing’s team principal, Christian Horner, hopes, as he is vying with McLaren to maintain the top spot in both Formula 1 World Championship standings.
"The FIA’s intervention? Well, let’s say it sets a precedent. We don’t want to rush into designing wings that deform in that way, but if it’s considered legal, then everyone will do the same. The mini-DRS? I’d be surprised if we see it again".
This is how Christian Horner concluded, responding to the question about the possibility of McLaren using the rear wing under scrutiny later in the championship. The specific wing that sparked controversy was used at Monza before Baku, but since it’s a low-drag wing for high-speed circuits, it shouldn't be used again before the Las Vegas Grand Prix. McLaren, as they admitted, offered to modify the controversial wing, which flexes enough to create a visible mini-DRS in Baku:
"Although our Baku rear wing complies with the regulations and passes all FIA deflection tests, McLaren proactively offered to make some small changes to the wing following our discussions with the FIA. We expect the FIA to have similar discussions with other teams regarding the compliance of their rear wings".
McLaren clearly doesn’t hide their frustration with this decision, emphasizing that their wing passed all FIA tests.
"We protested against this wing three times, and the FIA made the right decision. Now, the focus is on the front wing".
Helmut Marko commented on the day’s news, though it will only affect one Grand Prix before the end of the World Championship, that of Las Vegas. Meanwhile, in the press conference reserved for Team Principals, Frédéric Vasseur couldn’t hide his disappointment at a decision that came a week too late for Scuderia Ferrari, considering the outcome of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
"You can imagine that we are a bit frustrated. We went wheel-to-wheel ten times into Turn 1 at Baku. I think that wing was more than borderline, and we all saw the images. But it’s not our job to weigh in on these matters. The FIA handles it, and we trust their work".
On Friday, September 20, 2024, the first two Free Practice sessions for the Singapore Grand Prix took place, but at Marina Bay, the mini-DRS controversy continued to dominate the conversation more than the sporting results. The only one who seemed to remain calm was Zak Brown, who appeared particularly relaxed with the media:
"We were the ones who offered to change the rear wing. Clearly, it’s been talked about in the paddock between Baku and here, so we proposed to the FIA to make a small modification to the wing, and they accepted our request. How will it impact our performance? Well, I don’t think we would have offered to make a change if we thought it would significantly affect lap times. The wing passed all the tests, it’s a clever piece of engineering, and the FIA was fine with it, so it’s quite a normal situation in Formula 1. The FIA was always informed about what was on our car, and there was never any issue. But when you're leading the standings, it's normal for everyone to look closely at your car. It’s part of the game".
There was also an opportunity to revisit the topic of the Papaya rules, the team orders between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, a topic that has temporarily slipped under the radar:
"We’ll see how the next races develop and what positions our drivers are in. We’ll do everything we can to assist Lando in his fight for the title, but without compromising Oscar’s race. Of course, there’s the intention to win with Lando, but we’ll have to see how the Grands Prix unfold. Constructors' World Championship? There are three teams fighting, and considering how close the standings are, one race can change everything. We definitely feel good, but there are many races and many developments. A bit of luck or misfortune will be enough to bring significant changes. It’ll be a tough battle until the end of the year".
After Frédéric Vasseur’s sharp comments and Zak Brown’s statement, all that was missing was the FIA’s response to the mini-DRS issue, which was now officially banned. That response came on Saturday, September 21, 2024, through Nicholas Tombazis, the head of single-seater regulations for FIA competitions. The Greek engineer outlined the regulator’s stance on McLaren’s rear wing, which was formally deemed legal but will need to be modified by the Woking team for the upcoming Grands Prix. This may seem like a victory for Ferrari and Red Bull Racing, but in reality, it strengthens the position of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who wouldn’t have used that low-drag wing again, except at the Las Vegas circuit. Ultimately, teams are complaining to the FIA, at least about the timing of the intervention, which is not retroactive and comes at a point when it’s practically irrelevant. Nicholas Tombazis rebuffed the criticism:
"We only discussed the McLaren rear wing after the Baku race. Usually, teams come to us on Friday to discuss an aspect they consider controversial. Let’s not forget that McLaren still passed all compliance tests. And this is important because the incriminated rear wing still met all the rules outlined in the technical directives. So, based on the text of the regulations, it didn’t seem appropriate to disqualify McLaren retroactively. All teams, without exception, including those complaining the loudest today, have benefited from this approach at times. We believe this is the fairest way to handle it in a sporting sense. So, the situation didn’t warrant exaggeration, such as a disqualification from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Naturally, there are complaints because the championship is very competitive. I’ll also add this: at Baku, the sun was shining in a particular direction, which highlighted this phenomenon more. That might not have been the case at Monza or Spa, and nobody noticed. Had someone come to us at Monza or Spa, we might have acted a bit sooner".
Putting the controversy aside for a moment, attention shifted to the track action, where Charles Leclerc led Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. in FP1. The session was used by many teams for race simulations rather than focusing on lap performance. Ferrari and Mercedes even tested Hard tires, while McLaren stuck to Soft and Medium tires. Speaking of McLaren, Oscar Piastri grazed a wall during the session, without damaging his car but interrupting his long run. At the end of FP1 on Friday, Max Verstappen was summoned by the stewards for his language during Thursday’s press conference. Ultimately, the Dutch driver was sanctioned with a public interest service requirement. After the second Free Practice session, Lando Norris was ahead of Charles Leclerc by 0.058 seconds. The British McLaren driver set a time better than the one that secured pole position in 2023. The strong performance of McLaren and Ferrari was confirmed by Carlos Sainz Jr.’s third-fastest time and Oscar Piastri’s fourth. Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing struggled to find the right technical setup, with Max Verstappen only managing the eleventh-fastest time, behind Sergio Pérez, who finished eighth in the time sheets. From the first two practice sessions of the Singapore Grand Prix, two clear contenders for pole position - and consequently for the race victory - have emerged: Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. They shared the honors of the day, topping the charts in FP1 and FP2. Particularly impressive was both drivers' lap pace, especially when darkness fell over Marina Bay: a full 0.6 seconds ahead. Charles Leclerc is understandably pleased with how things have started, even though the Monegasque driver doesn’t yet feel completely comfortable with his car:
"Today I felt good in the car, but there is still work to do to get it completely to my liking. That said, it was certainly a good starting point: now we need to find the right balance and put everything together for tomorrow’s qualifying. The weather forecast for the rest of the weekend is unpredictable, so we will need to adapt quickly to the changing conditions. I’d be surprised to see the same gap behind us again tomorrow; it’ll be interesting to see if the hierarchy changes".
Following his accident in Baku, Carlos Sainz Jr. arrives in Singapore with a desire for redemption. It was here in 2023 that the Spanish driver ended Red Bull Racing’s winning streak with a victory achieved through intelligence and strategy. However, based on how this weekend has begun, it will be difficult for Sainz to repeat that masterpiece. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc made a strong statement of intent in FP2, pulling 0.6 seconds ahead of the competition, led by the Spanish driver himself. Nevertheless, the two third-place finishes are a confirmation of both Sainz’s and Scuderia Ferrari’s competitiveness on this track, which is crucial for their standings in the Constructors’ Championship.
"It’s been a challenging start to the weekend. Already in FP1, I could feel that something wasn’t quite right with the brakes, and we didn’t resolve the issue in time for this evening’s session. Overall, I struggled to extract the full potential from the day. That aside, the car seems competitive, and I’m confident we can understand what happened today and make a big step forward for tomorrow".
The first two practice sessions of the Singapore Grand Prix suggest that we may witness an exciting qualifying session, with the pole position battle likely to involve two drivers: Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. However, while the Monegasque driver feels there is still work to do ahead of qualifying, the British McLaren driver is already pleased with his performance on fast laps—a crucial factor in Singapore:
"Yes, the pace is good. I feel good, and I did a solid lap. I think we’re doing the work we need to stay ahead of Ferrari. Charles was right behind me - I was hoping for a slightly bigger advantage, honestly. That means they’re fast, but things are going pretty well for us. Charles is very, very strong on street circuits - we’ve seen it in Baku, we’ve seen it in Monaco. And I’m sure he’s quite happy with his lap, because if he wasn’t, I’d be really worried. I think I made the most of this Friday. Normally, I prefer not to do so well on Fridays so that I have more room to improve on Saturday. Still, it’s been a good start to the weekend, and we’re in a good position".
And to think that the Singapore Grand Prix was supposed to start with very different ambitions for the Red Bull Racing team, which had begun moderately well, according to Team Principal Christian Horner. Between sessions, however, the RB20 started nervously bouncing over the Marina Bay track’s bumps, forcing Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to work miracles to avoid hitting the barriers. Not the start the World Champion - who was also handed community service by the FIA for using inappropriate language during Thursday’s press conference - would have hoped for.
"Today was a tough day. We didn’t have the grip we wanted on the tires, so I felt like I was sliding much more than usual. This caused us particular problems in FP2, which wasn’t a positive session for us. We didn’t really have issues with bumps and curbs, but rather with overall tire grip. We’ll need to analyze the data and see what we can do to optimize the car’s performance and the tires for qualifying".
Lewis Hamilton out of the top three and George Russell crashing at the end of FP2: these two snapshots capture the key points of a difficult day for Mercedes. Via radio, Hamilton even mentioned traction problems, while Russell locked up during a long run, hitting the barriers and damaging the front wing. Alongside Red Bull, the Mercedes team also seems to be struggling for now.
A clearly disappointed George Russell admitted after the first day of practice:
"We didn’t have the pace of the frontrunners, and we need to work hard overnight to understand why. The car didn’t feel like it did here in 2023, or in recent races. I’m sure we’ll find answers when we look at the data. Looking at the standings, there have been a lot of surprises. The Williams and Racing Bulls seem particularly fast compared to the last races, while Red Bull has struggled. The McLaren and Ferrari cars appear to have a comfortable advantage over everyone else, and we clearly need to work to have any chance of competing with them this weekend. I didn’t feel comfortable in the car. We tried different setup solutions to improve, but we didn’t manage to find the right direction. We worked hard as a team to close the gap and get closer to the frontrunners’ pace, but we didn’t achieve that by the end of FP2. It’s been difficult to figure out the right setup direction. We need to find a bit more speed, or we’ll be in for a tough Saturday".
Max Verstappen made this alarming statement on the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix:
"If we work well, we can aim for Q3".
And indeed, based on the results at the end of FP2, reaching Q3 would already be a good result for Red Bull Racing. Verstappen finished the session over a second behind Norris and Leclerc, and even his race pace was unconvincing. On this topic, Helmut Marko commented grimly:
"We had the same pace as Colapinto, who’s in his third Formula 1 race. Nothing worked on Verstappen’s car; we need to try something drastic. He was sliding on both soft and hard tires; we have grip and balance issues".
In short, a disaster. Just like in 2023. But a year ago, Red Bull Racing was winning everywhere; now, they haven’t won in seven races. The crisis, exacerbated by their rivals’ improvement, seems deeper. However, speaking about the Singapore Grand Prix, which is starting with a slightly better outlook than in 2023, Christian Horner admitted:
"The ambition this year is very different; we’ve started off moderately. Checo didn’t get a chance to do a clean lap on soft tires, but the track is cleaning up quickly. Then, as always, Ferrari and McLaren are very fast here, too. I imagine that will be the case for the rest of the weekend. The mistakes in Baku? We’ve obviously analyzed a lot of things, but I think in the end, we made Verstappen’s car too stiff. It’s been frustrating, but hopefully, things will go better here".
On Saturday, September 21, 2024, Lando Norris continues to impress in the third practice session. The British driver sets a time over a second faster than the pole position from the 2023 edition and is the only one to break the 1:30.0 barrier. Norris finishes nearly 0.5 seconds ahead of George Russell and almost 0.8 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri. While the Mercedes cars struggle - evidenced by Lewis Hamilton's eighth place and several driving errors from Russell - Ferrari also faces grip issues. During FP3, Charles Leclerc's mechanics lower the tire pressures, leading to a summons from the stewards for violating the technical directive regarding pit stop tire pressures. As a result, Ferrari is fined €5.000 by the FIA. A few hours later, as qualifying begins, Charles Leclerc sets the first significant time of the session at 1'30"896. Sergio Perez follows, 0.7 seconds behind the Monegasque, while Carlos Sainz Jr. fails to complete his first flying lap due to a mistake. Shortly after, Lando Norris improves on Leclerc's time, with Oscar Piastri securing third place. Carlos Sainz Jr. and Alex Albon then move up the standings, with Lewis Hamilton later climbing to fifth and George Russell to seventh. Yuki Tsunoda also rises to fifth but is soon overtaken by Fernando Alonso.
Max Verstappen registers the second-best time, followed by Charles Leclerc in second and Nico Hülkenberg in fifth. Other drivers push Mercedes and Williams out of the top ten, and soon Albon sets the fastest time at 1'30"679 before Norris takes the lead again. Piastri and Hamilton also improve their times. Pérez rises to fourth, with Verstappen back in second. In the end, Tsunoda and Franco Colapinto secure the eighth-best time, while Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas, and Guanyu Zhou fail to advance to Q2. In Q2, Pérez sets the benchmark with a time of 1'30"653, but Verstappen's 1'30"371 is invalidated after he goes off track at the last corner. Nico Hülkenberg briefly takes the top spot with 1'30"374, before Lando Norris sets a new benchmark at 1'30"007. Leclerc and Sainz Jr. follow in second and fourth respectively, while Kevin Magnussen slots into sixth ahead of the Williams drivers. Piastri climbs to third, and Yuki Tsunoda is fifth. Hamilton breaks the 1'30"0 mark, and Russell also climbs to third. Verstappen, entering the track when it’s clear, records the best time of 1'29"680, but Oscar Piastri soon takes over the top spot with 1'29"640. Ferrari holds third with Leclerc and sixth with Sainz Jr. Alonso improves but remains ninth. Albon makes the top ten, narrowly pushing Colapinto out by 0.007 seconds. Tsunoda's eighth-best time also eliminates Albon from Q3 contention, alongside Pérez, Magnussen, and Ocon.
As Q3 begins, the first fast lap is recorded by Hülkenberg, but it’s Oscar Piastri who takes the lead with 1'30"037. Verstappen improves immediately after Sainz Jr. crashes at the last corner during his out lap, resulting in Verstappen's time being invalidated due to a double yellow flag in the final sector. Norris, who had set the best sector times before the red flag caused by Sainz Jr.'s incident, resumes with just over eight minutes remaining in qualifying. The session sees drivers complete only one flying lap, with Piastri improving to 1'29"953 before Norris secures provisional pole with a time of 1'29"525. Hülkenberg follows, just 0.1 seconds behind Piastri, while Alonso's time is surpassed by Leclerc. Hamilton briefly slots between the two McLaren drivers, only to be surpassed by Verstappen. However, the stewards later invalidate Leclerc's time for exceeding track limits at Turn 2. The qualifying session ended with high tension on the streets of Marina Bay, Singapore, especially after what happened in the early minutes of Q3. Following Sergio Perez's elimination in the previous session and Carlos Sainz Jr.'s crash into the barriers, which led to the red flag, the pole position was effectively contested in the final moments of Q3. Lando Norris fully redeemed himself after what happened in Baku, setting the best time and placing ahead of Max Verstappen, as well as the two Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
"It was tough, especially during qualifying. I struggled a bit to set times and make progress while everyone else was getting faster. This put some pressure on me, especially at the end because I had only one lap, but it was enough for pole, and I’m happy about that, especially here in Singapore. It felt great; I felt good all weekend and I have confidence. I got the job done. I enjoyed it, and it was fun with my heart racing. My lap was before the red flag, so I still had some margin. The car was performing well, but it’s the time that gives you confidence. In the end, I managed to finish the job, and I'm excited for tomorrow. I was confident I could be fast, so I knew I didn't need to push too hard. I just had to do what I had done all weekend. It’s a nice feeling because I managed to overcome those difficulties; it’s just a shame because the car moves around a lot and there are some bumps, so a small mistake can cost you a lot. You also pay a price if you try to overdo it, but I kept calm and did what I had to do, so I’m happy".
At the start of the season, it would have been hard to imagine Max Verstappen content and satisfied with second place in qualifying, especially behind the driver he’s battling for the world title. But that’s how it is. The reigning World Champion, currently 59 points ahead of Lando Norris, will start alongside the British driver in the front row for the Singapore Grand Prix, but from second position. For the Dutch driver, this marks a return to the front row since the Dutch Grand Prix, followed by a brief crisis in results that allowed McLaren to surpass Red Bull Racing in the Constructors' Championship standings:
"I’m very happy with today’s second place, and it’s fantastic to start in the front row tomorrow. Credit goes to the team for their hard work; they found great solutions and made many changes to the car overnight, making a huge difference. The car was much more enjoyable to drive; we could attack the corners more, and today we really maximized our performance. I had a better feel for the car and kept improving it since yesterday was quite tough. On paper, this is not a good track for us, and we have our limitations in pace, so this gives us hope for the upcoming races to do well. Finishing today is an extraordinary result for qualifying. I believe all our qualifying sessions went quite well. We managed to improve the car attempt after attempt after FP3, and I’m happy to be on the front row given where we started yesterday. Q2 was tough, and my lap was deleted for double yellow flags; everyone had only one attempt and didn’t want to overdo it. I wanted to stay within limits and I’m happy with this second place, which I accept gladly. Getting the tires into the right window for a dry lap is always quite difficult because the tires can either gain or lose you time. Today went quite well for our qualifying, and I’m happy about that. We’re second; tomorrow it’s hard to predict because in Singapore a lot can happen, but we also have some chances from this position".
While Scuderia Ferrari disappointed in qualifying under the artificial lights of the Marina Bay street circuit, the Mercedes team did the exact opposite. In a Q3 affected by the interruption in the early phases due to Carlos Sainz Jr.’s incident, the drivers inevitably pushed hard on the accelerator in their only attempt to grab pole position. Lewis Hamilton, third, also smiled again; he hadn’t finished in the top four since the Belgian Grand Prix. This personal and team improvement was emphasized by the British driver, who is increasingly close to concluding his story with the Anglo-German team before the anticipated move to Ferrari:
"I’ve worked very hard to improve my qualifying performance and get back to the front on Saturdays. Today the car came alive, and we had one of the best Saturdays in a while. It felt great. Having only one attempt in Q3 after the red flag was difficult, and perhaps there was a bit more in the car, but overall I’m really grateful for what we achieved today. I also want to thank all the team members. All weekend we moved with balance, and they did a great job to get the car into a good position. Now we start from a solid position to fight for the podium tomorrow. We don’t know exactly what our race pace will be compared to others, but with the changes made overnight, we felt we improved from Friday. We’ll give it our all on Sunday. The crowd today is incredible, and I want to thank everyone for their support; some of my fans traveled here from everywhere, so I’m very grateful for that. My qualifying has been a disaster for me all year, and I’ve worked, worked, worked to get back to the front. Suddenly, I felt the car alive for the first time in a long time in qualifying. It’s a bit of a shame because we struggled to find rhythm, and doing the lap at the end was a bit complicated. There was probably still a small margin in the car, but I’m very happy with the result. With the mechanics, we made a lot of balance changes every day of the weekend; they worked hard, and I want to thank them for what they’ve done. I hope to fight for the top positions tomorrow. We’ll take it one day at a time; today was really nice, and it’s important that we found ourselves in front. We’ve seen that the McLarens have been fast every weekend, and we hope to keep up with them and give it our all".
Satisfaction was expressed not only by Hamilton but also by his teammate, George Russell, fourth and coming off good performances in qualifying:
"If someone had told us yesterday that we would qualify in the second row, we would have absolutely accepted it. However, with the improvements made overnight and the feelings the car gave in FP3, I might have thought differently. I felt very confident in the car, and everything came easily. However, that feeling left us in Q1, and I would have bitten someone’s hand for P4. We struggled with lack of grip and managed to advance through each segment until Q3. Once there, I was able to put in a good lap, and overall we can’t be disappointed with how we ended the day. Ultimately, we can consider today a good recovery. Yesterday we were destined to be stuck in midfield, and instead here we are, with a lockout in the second row. We would have liked to start further up, but the team did a great job to get us back on track, so a big thank you to them. We hope to go on the attack tomorrow and fight for the podium".
From the opportunity to secure the front row to starting from the fifth row on a track where overtaking is incredibly difficult. Charles Leclerc didn’t go beyond ninth place at the end of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc failed to respect the track limits at Turn 2 because his tires were too cold, and thus he couldn’t qualify beyond the fifth row, although it should be noted that the time set would not have placed him higher than seventh. The problem was an error regarding tire temperature. Charles Leclerc left the pits with the tires already out of the window and found it impossible to warm them up:
"The tires weren’t even ready at 50%. I don’t even know how many degrees they were at the front after leaving the pits. I don’t know why it happened; it happened once and it had to happen in Q3 in Singapore in the last attempt. I tried to do everything possible to warm the tires, but there was no way to get them any hotter, so I locked up in Turn 1. From that moment on, it was a disaster, so I’m very disappointed because we do all the preparation in the world to reach Q3 and then we end up with such a problem. In Q3 we had the potential to do first or second; we just needed to take risks that I couldn’t take because the tires were cold. I’m very disappointed, and I’d prefer not to talk about tomorrow. The disappointment is high, and we know that in Singapore, qualifying is everything, so the hopes of winning tomorrow are low. We’ll see; tomorrow I’ll definitely reset and come back at 100%, but I’m really disappointed".
On the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix, there was a feeling that for the third consecutive weekend, the Maranello team would be among the major protagonists. Instead, just a few minutes into Q3, the Scuderia Ferrari's dream of competing at the top against McLaren turned into a nightmare. After a decidedly encouraging Friday of free practice, frustration became the dominant sentiment in the garage during the qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, with a miserable fifth row and both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. failing to set a timed lap in the decisive phase of qualifying. Not exactly the best way for Frédéric Vasseur to redeem himself after the disappointing second place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Clearly upset, the Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal addressed the media, first discussing the incident that took Carlos Sainz Jr. out of contention at the start of Q3:
"Carlos is physically fine, but of course he’s disappointed because it’s not the result he was expecting after last year’s pole. The most important thing is that he’s okay and ready to fight for a strong comeback tomorrow".
Then there’s the issue raised by Charles Leclerc, who completed his final lap complaining about cold tires, only to fall victim to track limits as well:
"I believe Charles started the lap with the right tire temperature, but I need to discuss it with him. He didn’t want to go first, so we waited a bit longer in the pit, and maybe that’s where we lost temperature. Then he pushed during the out lap and got back into the window before starting his attempt. We knew we only had one lap, which meant we had to push, and there were track limits. I think Charles crossed the line by a couple of centimeters, but that’s part of the game. This is definitely not the easiest track for overtaking, and I’d prefer to start from other positions, but on the other hand, we have good race pace. If we can replicate on Sunday what we showed in FP1 and FP2 on Friday, we might still do well. We need to put everything together and be more aggressive with our strategy, then we’ll see what we can do. We’re frustrated, also because we know we had the pace for the front row. I don’t know if pole was within reach, but the front row was. We’ll see tonight what we can do for the tire choice at the start".
It’s a tough night for Scuderia Ferrari on the Marina Bay street circuit. Carlos Sainz Jr., as mentioned, will start the Singapore Grand Prix from tenth place, after a session that can be described as not having really started for the Spanish driver, at least in terms of completed timed laps.
Shortly after the start of Q3, Carlos lost control of the car, crashing into the barriers and forcing the officials to suspend qualifying eight minutes from the end. This incident compromised any chance of contending for pole position, with the dynamics of the crash explained by the future Williams driver:
"A lot happened; I had to let a couple of cars pass in the third sector, which cooled my tires a bit. I was already on the dirty side when I was about to start the lap, and being in Q3, I wanted a good exit from the last corner. However, I was already very slow entering the corner, so compared to Q1 and Q2, I wanted to accelerate earlier to make up for it, otherwise I would lose a tenth on the straight without even starting the lap. I underestimated the lack of grip. There’s always a bump in corner 17 that often betrays you. I misjudged it and made a mistake; I apologize to the team. So far, it’s been a tough weekend, but I’m physically fine".
In addition to what happened on track during Q3, Carlos Sainz Jr. received a €25.000 penalty (of which €12.000 is suspended for the rest of the season, provided no similar incidents occur) for crossing the track on foot shortly after his crash, even though the session had already been interrupted with the red flag. He also received a warning for having failed to respect the cone placed at corner 3 after leaving the track at corner 2.
"Maybe, I don’t know, a little, we’ll find out tomorrow".
These are the somewhat terse, if not monosyllabic, responses from Max Verstappen to journalists’ questions during the FIA’s official press conference following the qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix. A clear sign of protest against the Federation after being penalized by the officials for unspecified community service for using inappropriate language ("fucking car") during an official meeting with the press on Thursday. When asked if he feared further penalties for his public protest against the FIA, Verstappen replied with a firm no comment, adding:
"I’m still responding; it’s just that I don’t talk much".
After a couple of seconds of awkward silence, he added:
"I have voice problems".
A real show was put on by the reigning World Champion, who ultimately asked journalists not to ask him any more questions there, inviting everyone to an impromptu meeting that would take place shortly after outside the FIA interview room. The atmosphere was decidedly surreal, involving Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who shared the microphone with Max Verstappen post-qualifying. The poleman initially joked that Max deserved the penalty for his foul language but then became serious, saying:
"I think it’s quite unfair; I don’t agree at all with what’s happening".
Lewis Hamilton, who is certainly not a friend of Max Verstappen but who had recently been at the center of a similar controversy with the FIA regarding the use of piercings in the car, was even more explicit:
"I think this is a joke, to be honest. This is the pinnacle of the sport; mistakes are made. I wouldn’t do community service, and I hope Max doesn’t have to either".
Once he recovered his voice outside the FIA press conference room, Max Verstappen finally explained his actions:
"I think what happened is really ridiculous; why should I give complete answers? It seems very easy to get a penalty, so I just don’t say anything, save my voice, and then do interviews elsewhere. The stewards? We met and had a productive discussion. But it’s clear they have to follow the rules, so it’s not easy. I just think this whole situation is crazy since I didn’t insult anyone; I just said something about my car. And for this, I was punished… I’ve also received a lot of support from other drivers. It seems clear what everyone thinks in this case".
Changing the subject, perhaps a decisive pole position like the one obtained in Singapore by Lando Norris was needed to definitively close the debate over McLaren’s mini-DRS rear wing. Even without the disputed wing, the MCL38 was unstoppable, decisively securing pole position at Marina Bay. A great satisfaction for Team Principal Andrea Stella, who said post-qualifying:
"What effect will the wing change have? Well, absolutely none, and I think that was evident in qualifying. For us, it’s positive that our rivals got distracted with these types of things, as it means they didn’t focus on themselves. And for us, that’s an advantage; we’re happy that someone is falling for this diversion. As you know, the wing is legal; there’s no debate about it. I think it’s just a story, and it seems everyone is looking for stories to tell. But it’s positive for us, as we maintain our focus on ourselves, keep our feet on the ground, and continue to bring updates. We do this, and then let the track do the talking".
He also commented on the extraordinary lap in Q3 that allowed Lando Norris to secure his sixth career pole position:
"A stressful evening for everyone, because only Oscar had a time (after the red flag in Q3, ed.) and it was important to finish that one attempt. It wasn’t as clean as possible; Lando complained over the radio about making many mistakes, but usually when he does, the final result is good. It was the same this time; Lando deserved this pole. We could have achieved more with Oscar, as the time he set in Q2 would have put him in second place if repeated in Q3. So we need to understand why he wasn’t able to put together the final lap, but overall it was a good performance for McLaren and a promising starting point for the race".
In the Netherlands at Zandvoort, Lando Norris lost the lead at the start despite starting from pole position in favor of Max Verstappen, but he managed to overtake his rival on track, breaking the curse of zero wins from pole. However, another statistic remains open that the English driver hasn’t yet overcome, even at Monza: maintaining the lead after the first lap when starting from pole position. In Italy, Oscar Piastri passed Lando Norris at the Variante della Roggia. In Singapore, the start will be crucial, especially since Lando Norris will have Max Verstappen alongside him. Typically, it is very difficult to take advantage of the dirty side of the grid in Singapore, but Helmut Marko is clearly playing the psychological card against Lando Norris:
"He has never stayed in the lead after the first lap when starting from pole position, and Max Verstappen will surely try to exploit this statistic".
The Austrian manager even regrets the canceled lap for Max Verstappen, which was automatically disqualified due to the double yellow flags:
"It’s a shame because if he could have counted on that time, he could have taken even more risks on the next lap. Anyway, after Friday, we would never have imagined being on the front row, so the result is already extremely positive".
On Sunday, September 22, 2024, at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix, Lando Norris manages to hold the first position, followed by Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes drivers. Behind them are Oscar Piastri, Nico Hülkenberg, Fernando Alonso, and Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo start on Soft tires, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou on Hard tires, while all the other drivers use Medium tires. The English McLaren driver comfortably leads the race, extending his advantage over Max Verstappen within the first few laps. Further back, Fernando Alonso stays close to Nico Hülkenberg, while he himself is under pressure from Charles Leclerc. On lap 14, Carlos Sainz Jr. pits and changes to a set of Hard tires, beginning a long recovery from the back of the field. On lap 18, Lewis Hamilton, who started on Soft tires, pits to switch to Hard tires. After one-third of the race, Lando Norris has a 16.7-second lead over Max Verstappen, 28.5s over George Russell, 30s over Oscar Piastri, and 40.7s over Nico Hülkenberg. Only Fernando Alonso’s pit stop on lap 26 allows Charles Leclerc to pass Nico Hülkenberg, moving up to fourth place, thanks also to George Russell pitting in the meantime. Max Verstappen waits until lap 30 to make his pit stop. The Dutch Red Bull Racing driver rejoins the track behind Charles Leclerc but quickly overtakes the Monegasque driver. Lando Norris, still in first place, brushes a wall and pits on lap 30, allowing the team to check if the front wing is damaged. On lap 36, George Russell attempts to overtake Charles Leclerc, who has yet to change tires, but he cannot pass him. The Monegasque driver will pit on the following lap, rejoining the race in eighth place, behind Carlos Sainz Jr. and Fernando Alonso. Oscar Piastri pits on lap 39 and returns to the track behind the two Mercedes drivers.
Soon after, Oscar Piastri overtakes Lewis Hamilton, while Charles Leclerc passes both Spanish drivers. On the forty-fifth lap, the Australian McLaren driver also overtakes George Russell. Five laps later, Charles Leclerc, on fresher tires, takes fifth place from Lewis Hamilton and begins chasing George Russell. The Monegasque driver closes in on the young English Mercedes driver but cannot find the momentum to pass him. Meanwhile, Lando Norris continues to lead the race with a comfortable margin, which is unaffected even when he makes another mistake, again brushing the protective wall, or when he makes an error while lapping slower cars. On the final lap, Daniel Ricciardo sets the fastest lap of the race after pitting on lap 58 to fit used Soft tires. Lando Norris wins the Singapore Grand Prix. With this result, the British driver narrows the gap with Max Verstappen in the World Championship, bringing it down to 52 points. The Dutch driver finished second at the end of a very physically demanding race. There were risks for Lando Norris, who came close to the barriers twice, with slight contact, but without any significant damage to compromise his race. There was also satisfaction in the McLaren garage for Oscar Piastri's third-place finish, having made two great overtakes on the Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, both at Turn 7. The top 3 spots slipped away from the Brackley team, as well as from Ferrari, despite the good strategies and race pace of Charles Leclerc. Starting from ninth on the grid, the Monegasque driver climbed to fifth, closing in on George Russell in the final stages but unable to make the pass. Carlos Sainz Jr. finished in seventh place, while Sergio Perez rounded out the top 10, behind Nico Hülkenberg. Says Lando Norris, at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix:
“It was a fantastic race. Maybe I took a few too many risks and had some scares halfway through, but I think I controlled it pretty well beyond that, and the car was exceptional. I was able to push, we were flying throughout the race, and towards the end, I could relax. I'm a little out of breath because it was a tough race, but I had fun. I wasn't pushing too hard, but sometimes you relax too much. Maybe it was a bit of both for the contacts with the walls, I'm not exactly sure what happened, but the important thing is that I didn't have any significant damage. I pushed hard; I wanted to win convincingly and bring home the maximum points, and I'm also happy for Oscar on the podium. A great day for the team. This was a race similar to Qatar 2023 from a physical standpoint. Maybe I could have been more calm; now I feel a bit dizzy, but everything is fine".
If the fight for the Drivers' World Championship between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris comes down to one or two points, one of the first thoughts will be about what happened in the final moments of the Singapore Grand Prix. Racing Bulls brought Daniel Ricciardo into the pits, and with soft tires, he managed to snatch the fastest lap - and the additional point - from Lando Norris. The Australian driver may have just said goodbye to Formula 1, as the announcement of Liam Lawson's debut in 2024 at the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, now seems almost certain. Max Verstappen was informed over the radio on the cool-down lap that Daniel Ricciardo had taken the fastest lap from Lando Norris, and the Dutch driver thanked his teammate:
"Thanks, Daniel".
The two share a great friendship, solidified after difficult years in the same team. Daniel Ricciardo returned, hoping to partner with Max Verstappen again, but the results were not satisfactory. To avoid losing Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing now seems intent on releasing Daniel Ricciardo once again, and this may have been his farewell with a small, but potentially valuable, parting gift. A move that Zak Brown surely won’t have appreciated, as he has long criticized Red Bull Racing’s satellite team in Formula 1, which, as shown today, can also serve as a tactical weapon against rivals. By sacrificing Daniel Ricciardo, it wasn’t necessary to stop Sergio Perez again, which would have cost the Mexican driver a point. Changing the topic, Max Verstappen may not have put on a show during the race, and perhaps didn’t even enjoy himself against a dominant Lando Norris, with no positions to defend. But after finishing the race, the Dutch driver truly let loose: in the official press conference, he responded with monosyllables or little more, and as soon as he left the FIA’s official rooms, he lashed out, venting his anger against the Federation, which had sentenced him to community service for what they deemed inappropriate language at the start of the weekend. The reigning World Champion did not accept the punishment and even threatened to quit a Formula 1 he no longer recognizes, a sentiment he hasn’t hidden even when he was winning every Sunday.
"If it’s no longer possible to be yourself, it’s better to say nothing. Nobody wants that, right? You end up becoming a robot, and that’s not how it should be in this sport. I don’t know how seriously the FIA takes my opinion, but for me, enough is enough. Racing will go on, and Formula 1 will continue without me. On the other hand, this goes for me too: quitting is not an issue. I will always stay true to myself, and I won’t change. These things definitely influence my future. You can’t be yourself; otherwise, you have to deal with this kind of nonsense. At this stage of my career, I don’t want to keep putting up with this. It’s really exhausting: sure, it’s great to have success and win races, but once you’ve achieved that - winning championships and races - you also want to have fun".
Speaking about the Singapore Grand Prix itself, the Dutch driver added:
"I was always alone; I tried to do my best to keep the pace until the end. The first stint was tough for us because there was quite a bit of degradation, while the second stint was better, and I felt more comfortable. I think, in a weekend where we knew we'd struggle, finishing second is a good result. Clearly, we're not happy, but we must keep trying to improve, and that's what we'll continue to do. We have to keep pushing to turn things around; I can't always finish behind, so we'll see how things go. It's really hot here, and it's always tough. It's also a very long race, so I'm looking forward to resting".
Oscar Piastri, third at the finish line, can still be satisfied with how the Singapore Grand Prix concluded, despite a qualifying session that was certainly not thrilling:
"It was hot, that's for sure, but it was a great comeback after yesterday's qualifying. It wasn't my best afternoon, so getting on the podium is a great result. We had a great car and a good strategy to overtake the Mercedes. Thanks to the team, the car was exceptional this weekend, and we brought home a lot of points. This time I kept the car away from the wall; I don't think I ever hit it. There was a tricky moment with George in Turn 1, but in the end, I tried to stay calm because I had a big gap to cover, so I didn’t want to take too many risks. I hope I didn't leave too much work for the mechanics because I’ve already kept them busy enough in the past weeks after those wall contacts".
Setting aside the standings, the commanding way in which Lando Norris - despite still being 52 points behind, which is not insignificant with six Grands Prix remaining - dominated the competition is certainly giving McLaren confidence for the upcoming races. So much so that, perhaps for the first time, Team Principal Andrea Stella is openly talking about the World Championship being within reach, showing belief in their chances for the Drivers' Championship, as well as the Constructors' Championship.
"Lando dominated, and we hope to have more days like this in the next six races. A fully deserved win, as he was incredibly fast all weekend. Yesterday, in qualifying, he was a bit cautious in his Q3 lap, and everyone in the pit box thought that if he had really pushed 100%, he would have been even quicker. But everything came together perfectly this weekend, and we can’t assume it will be easy in the races to come. Of course, it’s promising, just as it’s promising that Oscar found a way to get past both Mercedes and return to the podium. We’ve collected a lot of points for the championship, and the fight for the drivers' title is open".
Stella also commented on the small mistakes Lando Norris made, when he brushed the wall twice without sustaining significant damage:
"Zak and I joked that maybe Lando wanted to see if we were awake on the pit wall. But we didn’t need that - we were absolutely awake! Jokes aside, these circuits are always challenging and show how a driver needs to be fully focused and in complete control of the tires, as a small lock-up can happen at any moment. Fortunately, there were no consequences, just a few moments of panic. But after that, Lando quickly found his rhythm again".
With such a poor qualifying performance, it was difficult for Scuderia Ferrari to hope for a different result at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix. Clearly, the fifth and seventh places secured by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., respectively, are disappointing results when seen from the perspective of Friday, when the Maranello car was clearly the best, alongside McLaren. However, the qualifying results condemned the Monegasque driver and the Spanish driver to a recovery race at the second-worst circuit on the calendar after Monte Carlo. Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur is aware of this and tries to salvage what he can from this weekend.
"It was a good Sunday for us and a positive race from both sides of the garage. Perhaps it was a bit more frustrating because we compromised our weekend on Saturday, but overall, the pace was good. I believe Charles was on par with Lando in the last 25 laps: it was a nice recovery, and in the end, we bring home good points from this weekend. There was nothing magical about it, but starting from ninth and tenth place, I think it was difficult to do a better job today. We had the same pace as Lando in the last 30 laps, we were with McLaren today and on Friday, while on Saturday, we missed something. We will have time to analyze everything before Austin, but I think it's positive to finish the weekend on a good note. Now there's the break, and it's nice to end like this. We will use the coming weeks to develop the car, as everyone will, and bring the last update. We have four weeks ahead of us, and we will do our best to try to compensate for the car's weaknesses".
After the frustration that emerged in post-qualifying, the dominant feeling inside the Ferrari garage at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix can only be regret for the missed opportunity. The strong recovery by Charles Leclerc, and partly also by Carlos Sainz Jr., was a result of the excellent race pace of the SF-24, which could have perhaps challenged Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren for a podium spot, if not Lando Norris, who dominated for the win, had Q3 gone a bit better. It’s inevitable, therefore, to look back with a hint of disappointment at Saturday’s result, where both drivers qualified on the fifth row without a timed lap. It’s no surprise that Charles Leclerc himself is commenting more on qualifying than the race, partially backtracking on the complaints he made in the heat of the moment regarding the tire temperature that led him to make a mistake in Turn 1 and trigger the track limits violation:
"First of all, I want to go back to yesterday’s Q3 to clarify that I am the one responsible for the poor result. Maybe my statements weren’t clear, and I didn’t want to send the wrong message. Today, I clearly paid for the bad qualifying; we had to recover, but I think we did a great job. The first part of the race was frustrating because I lost a lot of time behind Nico and Fernando (Hulkenberg and Alonso), but then it was a really nice race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for fourth place, but we were close. The decision to delay the first pit stop? We discussed it a lot with the team. We could have pitted earlier, but it’s always difficult. It made more sense to try two different strategies with the two cars because a Safety Car or a red flag would have been perfect for our race. In any case, we knew that continuing to delay the pit stop wouldn’t have been a disaster. I have no regrets about this race".
This time, the Singapore Grand Prix was far from favorable for Carlos Sainz Jr.'s ambitions. If in 2023 the Spanish driver managed to win, this season’s result was much more negative, with an avoidable incident in qualifying and a recovery in the race that only reached seventh place. Carlos Sainz Jr. expressed his frustration over what happened in qualifying and thus took some responsibility:
"Race pace was never our concern heading into the weekend. On a single lap, with this car, there’s a very small window to get the tires to work. I made a mistake yesterday, but we also saw with Charles that the window is really small, and at times this year, it’s been our weak point in qualifying. We’ll try to do better in the last six races to start further up the grid. What we need to assess now is how this car performs on more normal tracks like Austin, which has much faster and more complex corners. I don’t want to talk about missed opportunities in the last three races, but we could have scored more points as a team, especially since in Austin and Mexico, we might arrive with an even stronger car and bring home more points".
Many Formula 1 fans have grown fond of Daniel Ricciardo's infectious smile over the years, as one of the drivers who has always stood out for his charm combined with talent. However, his recent struggles have only fueled rumors and speculation that the Singapore Grand Prix might have been the Australian driver's last race in Formula 1.
An official announcement could seriously arrive before the United States Grand Prix, not only due to decisions expected from Red Bull Racing (as confirmed by Team Principal Christian Horner), which is looking to replace Daniel Ricciardo with Liam Lawson, but also due to the Australian Racing Bulls driver's reaction after the race. Having set the fastest lap at Marina Bay, Daniel Ricciardo appeared visibly emotional, to the point that he couldn’t hold back a certain level of emotion:
"There are a lot of emotions because I’m aware it could be over. I think it’s also tiring after the race. There’s a flood of emotions, feelings, and exhaustion. The cockpit is something I’ve grown used to for many years. I just wanted to savor the moment. I’m not entirely sure if I’ll see you again after today. I’d like to say otherwise, but there’s a good chance I won’t be here, and that’s okay".
Many journalists then asked Daniel Ricciardo if the Singapore Grand Prix was indeed his last in Formula 1, to which he added:
"I don’t want to say it’s a sad story or anything. I look back and I’m also very grateful, not only for breaking into this sport but also for staying here for so long and racing in about 250 Grands Prix. So, if this is the end, I don’t want to make it a sad story: it’s been fun. There’s a chance I won’t race in Austin, but we’ll see".
The second row, fully occupied by Mercedes drivers, had given the British team hope of once again securing a podium finish after the surprise third-place result in Baku. However, this plan couldn’t be fulfilled by either driver on the tortuous Marina Bay circuit, starting with George Russell. The young British driver, who finished fourth at the checkered flag, couldn’t defend himself from Oscar Piastri’s comeback, with the Australian pulling off a great overtaking move on him. In the final laps, Russell also struggled against Charles Leclerc’s charge. However, the Monegasque driver wasn’t able to get the better of him:
"After a very difficult Friday, we probably would have secured P4 in the Grand Prix. Our pace in qualifying, however, made us believe we could achieve more. It was undoubtedly a tough race for us, challenging both in terms of pace and physically. The McLarens were really impressive and on another level compared to us, while Verstappen had the upper hand. We managed to hold off Leclerc’s Ferrari in the final stages, so it was a night where we minimized the damage. Given the pace of the car, it was the best we could achieve. In the coming weeks, we’ll need to work hard to understand why we’ve struggled to compete with the frontrunners in the last few races. Since the summer break, we haven’t been as competitive, and it’s frustrating. We’ll work hard to solve the problem and hope that the upgrades we bring to the next race in Austin will help us take a step forward toward the top positions".
It went even worse for Lewis Hamilton. Penalized by the decision to start on Soft tires, the future Ferrari driver couldn’t defend against Oscar Piastri’s attack, and he also lost the top-5 to Charles Leclerc, finishing in sixth place. The British driver, who celebrated his 350th career Grand Prix in Singapore, commented on the result with disappointment:
"It’s hard to describe the emotions you feel when you have such a difficult race. This year continues to be a season of challenges for everyone, but we’re pushing as hard as we can. We don’t always get things right, and that was the case with our strategy today. We all go into the weekend, and every decision we make, with the right intentions, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. It can be frustrating, but we’re all in this together. In recent races, we’ve lost some form compared to the leaders, and we’re working hard to understand why. We’ll do what we do best: come together as a team, analyze, and focus ahead of Austin. We’ll go there with energy, grit, and determination. It’s another opportunity to show what we can do when we get things right, and hopefully, we can take a step forward with the car".
Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, also focused on this aspect at the end of the race, highlighting what went wrong and the reasoning behind Mercedes’ decision:
"We misread the race. We made a decision based on past Singapore races, where it was essentially a procession like Monaco. We thought that the Soft tire would give us a good opportunity at the start. It was practically the only chance for an overtake, and it was a wrong decision that we all made together. It seemed like a good offset, but with the rear tire degradation, there was only one way to go, and that was backward. There was logic behind it, but it was obviously contrary to what we should have decided. However, this doesn’t hide the fact that when a car is too slow, you’re simply slow. Maybe a position gained or lost doesn’t change much".
After weeks of speculation and rumors, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, the news became official: Daniel Ricciardo is leaving Racing Bulls with immediate effect. The Australian driver, who became emotional during post-race interviews while reflecting on his career, will not be on the starting grid for the United States Grand Prix. In his place, Red Bull Racing has announced the promotion of reserve driver Liam Lawson. Ricciardo’s exclusion from the grid effectively marks a forced retirement from Formula 1, as his performance since returning in the middle of the 2023 World Championship - with a five-race break due to a hand injury sustained during Free Practice at the Dutch Grand Prix - has not been satisfactory. Ricciardo earned 6 points last season and 12 in the current one, for a total of 18 points across 25 races - less than half the 37 points Yuki Tsunoda scored with the same car while they were teammates. Ricciardo has already stated that he’s not available to take on the role of Red Bull Racing's third driver, and it’s hard to imagine a restart with another team. The only other team with a seat available is Audi, which is expected to confirm Valtteri Bottas for 2025, or at most, opt for a young driver like Gabriel Bortoleto or Franco Colapinto. Liam Lawson has been officially announced as Ricciardo’s replacement, having already been considered the only candidate to step in for the Australian driver.
"I've loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful, and it's been a journey. To the teams and individuals who’ve played a part, thank you. To the fans who love this sport, sometimes even more than I do, thank you. There will always be highs and lows, but it’s been fun, and honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. Onto the next adventure".
For his part, Liam Lawson explained how the past week has been particularly tough to handle, at least in terms of media attention.
"The Singapore weekend wasn’t pleasant at all because obviously, we all knew what was about to happen. At the same time, Daniel has always been very good to me, especially when I drove in his place last year. And even this season, I never felt like I was in any intense competition with him for the seat. So, the weekend felt bad. But on the other hand, the opportunity to drive in Formula 1 comes only once, and for me, that moment has come now. So I can only be grateful to Red Bull for the opportunity, and I feel the need to seize it with both hands. He even told me the same thing - he told me to make the most of this chance I’ve been given".
Lawson also briefly put himself in Daniel Ricciardo’s shoes, as Ricciardo had to face questions throughout the weekend about whether the Singapore Grand Prix would be (as it turned out to be) his last in F1:
"He did a really good job all weekend, and I have deep respect for him and the way he dealt with everything. I can’t imagine what it feels like to be in that position, but I was in a similar situation last year. Of course, things are different because he’s much more of a public figure and way more famous than I am, so he faced a lot of questions throughout the weekend and managed to handle them. He did an exceptional job".