Carlos Sainz Triumphs at Singapore Grand Prix, Shaking Up F1 Standings

The Singapore Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz Triumphs as Red Bull’s Title Hopes Fade

The Singapore Grand Prix marked the culmination of the fifteenth race of the season, and it was Carlos Sainz who stole the spotlight, clinching the coveted top spot on the podium. Joining the Spanish sensation in the jubilant celebrations were Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, securing second and third places, respectively.

Red Bull had entered the Singapore GP weekend with high hopes of clinching the constructors’ title. However, the formidable Marina Bay Circuit posed significant challenges for the RB19 cars, putting their title aspirations on shaky ground.

Drivers’ Standings

In the drivers’ standings, Lewis Hamilton made a decisive move, leapfrogging Fernando Alonso to claim the third position. Red Bull’s challenging race weekend also allowed the seven-time champion to narrow the gap to Sergio Perez.

Carlos Sainz, the hero of the Marina Bay Circuit, dramatically reduced his deficit to Alonso from 53 points to a mere 28. The race saw several retirements, most notably George Russell’s, which presented Charles Leclerc with an opportunity to expand his lead over the British driver. What was once a marginal 2-point lead has now grown to a comfortable 14.

Another notable shift in the standings saw Oscar Piastri surpass Esteban Ocon for the eleventh position. Piastri’s impressive performance in Singapore earned him 6 crucial points, coupled with Ocon’s unfortunate DNF.

Furthermore, Liam Lawson’s stellar drive earned him 2 points in the standings, elevating him above Logan Sargeant.

Here’s how the top of the drivers’ standings currently stands:

1. Max Verstappen – 374 points (+10)
2. Sergio Perez – 223 points (+4)
3. Lewis Hamilton – 180 points (+16)
4. Fernando Alonso – 170 points
5. Carlos Sainz – 142 points (+25)
6. Charles Leclerc – 123 points (+12)
7. George Russell – 109 points
8. Lando Norris – 97 points (+18)
9. Lance Stroll – 47 points
10. Pierre Gasly – 45 points (+8)
11. Oscar Piastri – 42 points (+6)
12. Esteban Ocon – 36 points
13. Alex Albon – 21 points
14. Nico Hulkenberg – 9 points
15. Valtteri Bottas – 6 points
16. Zhou Guanyu – 4 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda – 3 points
18. Kevin Magnussen – 3 points (+1)
19. Liam Lawson – 2 points (+2)
20. Logan Sargeant – 0 points
21. Nyck de Vries – 0 points
22. Daniel Ricciardo – 0 points

Constructors’ Standings

Despite Red Bull’s winning streak coming to an end at the Singapore Grand Prix, they have managed to keep the gap behind them to Mercedes at a slender 2 points. This was largely due to George Russell’s heart-wrenching retirement from the race.

Meanwhile, Ferrari has substantially extended their lead over Aston Martin, increasing the gap from 11 to an impressive 48 points. AlphaTauri has also begun to close in on Alfa Romeo, thanks to the 2 points secured by reserve driver Liam Lawson.

Here’s how the top of the constructors’ standings currently looks:

1. Red Bull – 597 points (+14)
2. Mercedes – 289 points (+16)
3. Ferrari – 265 points (+37)
4. Aston Martin – 217 points
5. McLaren – 139 points (+24)
6. Alpine – 81 points (+8)
7. Williams – 21 points
8. Haas – 12 points (+1)
9. Alfa Romeo – 10 points
10. AlphaTauri – 5 points (+2)