Is there an act of defiance?

Verstappen’s hope: what needs to improve now

Max Verstappen must tremble for the world championship title.

(Bild: GEPA)

Will Max Verstappen get back on track at the Singapore Grand Prix of all races? "It will be important to control the car better at slow speeds so that it doesn't bounce around," emphasizes the Formula 1 world champion.

The Red Bull star, who has gone seven races in a row without a win, is attempting a show of defiance at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. In the previous season, Singapore was the worst weekend for Red Bull Racing all year. If that was an anomaly, another defeat this time would surprise no one. McLaren arrives in the city state as the new market leader.

McLaren is currently setting the tone.

(Bild: Associated Press)

Red Bull no longer number one
For the first time in 55 races, Red Bull is not in first place in the constructors' championship ahead of a Grand Prix weekend. McLaren overtook the Austrian-British team last Sunday in Baku thanks to Oscar Piastri's victory and a fourth place finish by Lando Norris. Since the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai in April, a McLaren driver has finished in the top three in every race - no other team can match that.

McLaren is 20 points ahead of Red Bull in the championship standings, and Norris and Piastri have now collected four victories. The one-man show that is Max Verstappen has been even more successful, as the Dutchman has seven victories to his name. However, the trend is certainly not a friend of the three-time champion, who recently finished a distant fifth in Azerbaijan.

No win in Singapore yet
"We've learned from what we did wrong in Baku last week and can do a few things differently," said Verstappen, who has never won in Singapore, and specified: "It will be important to control the car better at slow speeds so that it doesn't bounce around." The Marina Bay Street Circuit is "a cool track, but we expect it to be a bit more of a challenge".

Max Verstappen

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In 2023, the floodlit Grand Prix was the only race that Red Bull did not win - the winner was Carlos Sainz in a Ferrari. It was also the only stop in the season where neither Verstappen nor team-mate Sergio Perez finished on the podium. This suggests that it could be more about damage limitation, even if Verstappen was defiant. "We are still fighting for the championship. We win and lose as a team and will continue to push and try to come back stronger," emphasized the soon-to-be 27-year-old. In the drivers' standings, Verstappen is still 59 points ahead of Norris, 78 ahead of Charles Leclerc and 91 ahead of Piastri.

Baku winner Piastri is the man of the hour
Australian Piastri is the man of the hour, he has scored more points than anyone else in the past seven races and won impressively in Baku. "I'm ready to give it another go in Singapore," said the ever-cool 23-year-old, whose team is aiming for its first constructors' title since 1998. "We have a good rhythm in the team and now we have to score as many points as possible."

Oscar Piastri

(Bild: AFP/APA/SIMON WOHLFAHRT)

Ferrari in the hunt
Ferrari are also counting on something in Southeast Asia. Monza winner Leclerc started from pole position in Baku, but finished second in the end. "Qualifying is very important on the Marina Bay circuit and we are well prepared for it. I am sure that we can make life difficult for our opponents," said Team Principal Fred Vasseur. Meanwhile, Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton has the chance to equal Sebastian Vettel's record of five Singapore victories.