How thrilling Singapore Grand Prix unfolded (2024)

1. Posted at 15:00 17 Sep 202315:00 17 Sep 2023

   Sainz wins breathless Singapore Grand Prix

   Andrew BensonBBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

   

   Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

   Carlos Sainz won the Singapore Grand Prix with a controlled drive for Ferrari that ended Max Verstappen and Red Bull's winning run.

   Sainz managed the race expertly from the front while Verstappen fought back to fifth place after starting in 11th on a difficult weekend for Red Bull.

   Sainz led McLaren's Lando Norris and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton nose to tail across the line after George Russell crashed out of third place on the last lap.

   Russell and Hamilton gambled on a late pit stop for fresh tyres and charged back up to Sainz and Norris but could not pass before Russell's late error.

   Read the full report here

2. Posted at 15:00 17 Sep 202315:00 17 Sep 2023

   Goodbye

   

   Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

   Carlos Sainz deserves a mighty cry of 'vamos!' today. Two Formula 1 victories in his career and both have come from pole position.

   The party will continue long into the Singapore night at Ferrari and McLaren but it'll be a different feel over at Mercedes. A podium place for Lewis Hamilton - and fastest lap point -but tears of devastation for George Russell.

   Oh, Lando Norris did do his bottle bang on the podium and executed a perfect whack and spray of champagne away from the winner's trophy. Phew.

   There will be no chance of a title celebration for Max Verstappen at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend but can the Dutchman get back to winning ways at Suzuka?

   Set you alarm clocks for 03:30 BST for first practice next Friday. Gold star if you can wake up and join us.

   Thanks so much for all your comments and thumbs over the weekend.

   See you bright and early in Japan!

3. Posted at 14:58 17 Sep 202314:58 17 Sep 2023

   Lawson secures points for Alpha Tauri

   Alpha Tauri are coming home from a long shift in Singapore with two points in the bag - and they were picked up by rookie driver Liam Lawson's ninth-placed finish.

   Red Bull are 308 points clear of Mercedes in second and Ferrari move onto 256 points, 39 better off than Aston Martin in fourth.

   1. Red Bull - 597

   2. Mercedes - 289

   3. Ferrari - 256

   4. Aston Martin - 217

   5. McLaren - 139

   6. Alpine - 81

   7. Williams - 21

   8. Haas - 12

   9. Alfa Romeo - 10

   10. Alpha Tauri - 5

4. Posted at 14:55 17 Sep 202314:55 17 Sep 2023

   Hamilton jumps above Alonso

   A podium finish for Lewis Hamilton and a disappointing day for Fernando Alonso means the Mercedes man goes 10 points clear of the Aston Martin driver in the drivers' championship and into third place for the first time this season.

   Max Verstappen extends his lead to 151 points over team-mate Sergio Perez but the Dutchman will have to wait to lift his third consecutive title as mathematically he cannot win it at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend.

   1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 374

   2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 223

   3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 180

   4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 170

   5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 142

   6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 123

   7. George Russell (Mercedes) - 109

   8. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 97

   9. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 47

   10. Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) - 45

5. Posted at 14:52 17 Sep 202314:52 17 Sep 2023

   'It's heart-breaking after such a great weekend' - Russell

   An emotional George Russell spoke to Sky Sports after crashing on the last lap while chasing down a potential win. He said: "No words to be honest, such a long, physical race, difficult to keep concentration when Carlos was doing a great job backing the pack not allowing us to do the alternative strategy.

   "I think we we were half a car's length from winning the race had I got past Lando when I had the opportunity, would have been able to get past Carlos and then the last lap. I'm just so sorry to the whole team.

   On the incident, he added: "It was a really challenging race, the tyres were dropping off and you are pushing the limits. It's heart-breaking after such a great weekend, qualifying was great, the race was great, we were bold with the strategy but I feel like I've let myself and the team down, it's tough but we will come back."

6. Posted at 14:48 17 Sep 202314:48 17 Sep 2023

   'Good day for Formula 1' - Brown

   Zak Brown is chatting to Sky Sports and after Lando Norris' second place and Oscar Piastri's seventh spot, and the American boss says it was "just great day for McLaren."

   As for the upgrades the team brought to Singapore, Brown adds the car is looking "pretty strong" and as soon as Piastri gets fitted with all the updates, he is expecting McLaren to have a "good Japanese Grand Prix".

   On today's event, with Norris and Carlos Sainz teaming up to keep the Mercedes at bay, he says the result is a "good day for Formula 1. Super-exciting race."

7. Posted at 14:45 17 Sep 202314:45 17 Sep 2023

   'It's amazing but of course I can't hide my disappointment' - Leclerc

   Charles Leclerc finished in fourth in the Ferrari, he told Sky Sports: "I knew this race was going to be difficult for me in the first stint it was all about trying to protect Carlos in order for me to stop before him in order to leave a gap. Then we had the safety car and we did a double-stack, I had traffic to go out, I lost three positions, so that puts us on the back foot and I struggled at the re-start with the tyres and traffic in general.

   "After that I knew it was going to be a difficult race from that moment onwards but I think it's a great team management especially on the first stint but then it's up to me in order to do a better job yesterday to then be in a different position today."

   On the team breaking Red Bull's run of consecutive wins this season, he added: "It means a lot especially with all the hard work that has been done on a high downforce track, it's amazing but of course I can't hide my disappointment because on my side I wish I had done a better result today."

8. Posted at 14:40 17 Sep 202314:40 17 Sep 2023

   Post update

   George Russell is on the verge of tears as he goes over what happened in the final stages of the Singapore Grand Prix. "I feel like I let myself down and the team down," says the Mercedes man.

9. Posted at 14:37 17 Sep 202314:37 17 Sep 2023

   Get Involved

   #bbcf1

   Sam: Best race of season this is what f1 is about, action packed from lap 1 - 62 & a fight not just for podium but for win - red bull beaten at last.

   Ashic: Mercedes should've put the foot down and told Hamilton to go past Russell... That was the only chance of the 1-2. Hamilton clearly had more pace, and Russell doesn't have the experience to lead... yet.

10. Posted at 14:34 17 Sep 202314:34 17 Sep 2023

    'I just kept my head down and kept pushing' - Hamilton

    Lewis Hamilton finished third in the Mercedes and said: “Firstly congratulations to Carlos and Lando they did a great jobtoday their strategy worked. We rolled the dice this weekend, we went with adifferent amount of tyres into qualifying with the option to be able to do what we've donetoday.

    “I felt like it was a two-stop but I think the team did anamazing job today to get us back up there, it’s a bit of a shame the firstcorner but none of the less I just kept my head down and kept pushing. Of course it’s unfortunate for George, we were pushing so hard to catch these guys andour tyres were so hot but we will bounce back, he’s been phenomenal allweekend.”

    On the race itself, he added: “This is how it should be, it’sincredible hot but I think I’ve only lost two kilos today so it’s not too bad.”

11. Posted at 14:29 17 Sep 202314:29 17 Sep 2023

    'We did everything we needed to do and more' - Norris

    Second-placed Lando Norris: "Carlos was very generous trying to help me get DRS. It helped my race and also helped his.

    "It was tough. We knew it was going to be tough as soon as the Mercdes boxed, but we held them off, we did everything we needed to do and more. So I'm super happy."

    On George Russell's retirement: "I feel for him, he fought a tough race and was probably the quickest car today. It helped me a bit. The last couple of corners I could chill a little bit more!"

12. Posted at 14:24 17 Sep 202314:24 17 Sep 2023

    'I’m over the moon right now' - Sainz

    

    Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

    Race winner Carlos Sainz, who celebrates his first victory of the 2023 season: “An incredible feeling, an incredibleweekend, I want to thank everyone at Ferrari and managing to win after a trickybeginning, but we now nailed the weekend, we nailed the race and we did everythingwe had to do, and we did it perfect. We brought home P1 and I’m sure the wholeof Italy and the whole of Ferrari are going to be proud and happy today.”

    On the race itself, he added: “It was all about keeping ourlimitations with tyre wear and degradation and all about managing the stints tomake sure I made it to the target laps we wanted to do in each compound. Obviouslya safety car caused us to pit even earlier than we wanted and I knew it was goingto be a long stint on hard.

    “I felt under control to be honest, I always felt like I hadthe head-space and the pace in hand to do whatever I wanted to do and I’m not goingto lie you are under pressure obviously you are very close to making any kindof mistake but I felt under control and that I could manage well. We brought ithome and that’s the best feeling, I’m over the moon right now.”

13. Posted at 14:20 17 Sep 202314:20 17 Sep 2023

    Post update

    Shall we have a look at what the top three had to say about the race? No Max Verstappen in this group chat.

14. Posted at 14:16 17 Sep 202314:16 17 Sep 2023

    Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Rich Cassidy: Red Bull and Verstappen have done a phenomenal job the last two seasons but without them, this has been the best F1 race in a long time.

    F1 Statster: You can mock Ferrari all you want but who ended the run of Red Bull? They did what every other team could not - great combination of driver and team to get that race win. Well Done to the Scuderia.

    Ash Wilkinson: Far and away the best race of the season, not a Red Bull in sight. Brilliant tactical driving from Sainz, he deserves that win. Hindsight is easy but if Merc swap George and Lewis, does Lewis not get through? Clearly quicker in the final stint

15. Posted at 14:13 17 Sep 202314:13 17 Sep 2023

    Post update

    George Russell still has his race helmet on but you don't have to be a body language expert to see he's absolutely gutted. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff tells Sky Sports he is going to put his arm around Russell to give him a lift.

16. Posted at 14:10 17 Sep 202314:10 17 Sep 2023

    Post update

    Carlos Sainz is conducting his team as they belt out Italy's anthem with pride. Trophy time for our top three. Elegant design for this Singapore Grand Prix. Keep it simple.

    Did Lando Norris do his champagne bottle bang? The camera panned away! D'oh. We pick back up with Sainz getting absolute soaked full in the face.

17. Posted at 14:08 17 Sep 202314:08 17 Sep 2023

    Post update

    For the first time this season, Max Verstappen is locked out of the cooldown room. The VIP lounge has Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton watching the race highlights instead. Lots of "oooohs" and "ahhhhs" coming Norris.

    The crowd cheers for Hamilton, Lando gets a warm greeting and here comes Sainz to the delight of his Ferrari crew at the bottom of the podium.

    Spanish national anthem done. Now it's time for a gut-busting rendition of the Italian anthem.

18. Posted at 14:04 17 Sep 202314:04 17 Sep 2023

    Post update

    "Carlos was very generous helping me get DRS," Lando Norris tells David Coulthard in the post-race interview.

    Lewis Hamilton then steps up to the microphone and the crowd cheer loudly. He says the team "rolled the dice" this weekend and says it was "a bit of a shame" the battle at the first corner.

    A replay shows George Russell clipped the wall down in Turn 10, which sent his Mercedes sliding straight into the barriers. The fans in the stands gasped!

19. Posted at 14:00 17 Sep 202314:00 17 Sep 2023

    And the rest

    11. Alex Albon (Williams)

    12. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

    13. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

    14. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

    15. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

    . George Russell (Mercedes)

    . Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

    . Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

    . Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)

20. Posted at 13:58 17 Sep 202313:58 17 Sep 2023

    Top 10

    1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

    2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

    3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

    4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

    5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    6. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

    7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

    8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

    9. Liam Lawson (Alpha Tauri)

    10. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

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