Red Bull's Perfect Season Bid Is Over
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. has won today's Formula 1 race in Singapore, ending a record season-long win streak for Red Bull Racing and a record ten-race single-driver win streak for Max Verstappen. The win means that Red Bull's hopes to win every race in an F1 season have come to an end, 15 races into the 22-race schedule.
The Red Bulls were out of contention early and often, failing to lead a single session in practice before qualifying a disappointing 11th and 13th. Both Red Bull drivers stopped relatively late for their final set of tires, enough for the pair to recover to fifth and eighth. The team still missed the podium entirely, ending a team winning streak dating back to 2022 at 15. That is not only the all-time record, it is the all-time record by four full races.
With the Red Bulls out of the winning picture, the stage was set for a battle between Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes. The Mercedes team put both of its drivers on newer medium tires during a late virtual safety car, setting up what looked like a math problem that would end with a 1-2 for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The pair easily dispatched Charles Leclerc for third and quickly caught up to second-place Lando Norris, who was himself right behind a leading Sainz, but Norris was close enough to Sainz to get defensive DRS help. Russell could not get past for second over the final five laps, let alone take the lead.
Russell would crash on the final lap, while Norris would be unable to put any further pressure on Sainz. The result was Carlos Sainz Jr.'s second career win, yet another runner-up for the still-winless Lando Norris, and a surprise podium finish for Lewis Hamilton.
The F1 schedule continues with the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend. With Red Bull struggling after a rule change restricting flexible aerodynamic elements at Singapore, other teams should enter that race with real hope for a win at Suzuka.
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