SINGAPORE: Carlos Sainz secured victory for Ferrari in the 2023 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Grand Prix, narrowly edging out his closest competitor by a mere 0.812 of a second.
The 29-year-old Spaniard sacrificed sheer pace for brilliant race-craft to hold off the attacks of British trio Lando Norris in his McLaren and Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the closing stages of the 62-lap race.
“An incredible feeling, an incredible weekend,” said Sainz after taking the second win of his F1 career and Ferrari’s sixth Singapore success.
“I always felt like I had the headspace and the pace in hand to do whatever I wanted to do.”
That included managing the early race pace with help from teammate Charles Leclerc, then responding to a Virtual Safety Car at two-thirds distance, allowing Mercedes to pit both drivers.
Using his own speed to help Norris profit from the Drag Reduction System (DRS) zones as the English driver defended against the Mercedes pair, Sainz controlled the last 10 laps brilliantly.
Norris settled the night race at second place.
“This is how it should be!” said Hamilton, the four-time Singapore winner claiming the 196th podium of his 325-race career.
“The team did an amazing job today,” said Hamilton who finished at third place.
Hamilton also claimed the extra point for the fastest lap, a 1:35.867 for an average speed of 185.507 km per hour.
The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix’s record of a Safety Car intervention at every race continued when Logan Sargeant’s Williams hit the barrier at Turn 14 on lap 20, shedding pieces of carbon fibre as the American limped back to the pits.
The Virtual Safety Car was needed when a brilliant drive from Esteban Ocon ended with his Alpine stopped on track with a suspected gearbox problem.
Overall, the Marina Bay Street Circuit welcomed 264,108 fans to the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2023 over the race weekend.
The night race was held at the 4.940 km long Marina Bay Street Circuit here with Kevin Jan Magnussen of Haas completing the top-10, in a race of attrition that saw just 15 finishers. – BERNAMA