Ferrari Returns to Victory in Singapore with Carlos Sainz’s Brilliant Race Strategy
Ferrari celebrated a remarkable victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz delivering a masterful strategy on the Marina Bay track. The race marked the end of Red Bull’s consecutive wins streak for the 2023 season, thanks to a bold and calculated approach by Ferrari.
Here are the key highlights of Ferrari’s weekend in Singapore:
Free Practice: An Impressive Start
Despite the challenging conditions of the Singapore Grand Prix, including high temperatures and a demanding track layout similar to Zandvoort, Ferrari started the weekend strong.
During the free practice sessions, both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz displayed impressive race pace across all three sectors of the track. Sainz topped the charts in FP1, with Leclerc closely following. Even Team Principal Fred Vasseur considered it the best Friday performance for Ferrari under his leadership.
Qualifying: Sainz Secures Pole Position
Carlos Sainz’s prediction that Ferrari could contend for pole position in Singapore proved true. Throughout the qualifying sessions, Ferrari engaged in fierce competition with Mercedes, Norris, and Alonso. Sainz clinched the pole position, with Leclerc consistently in the mix. Sainz’s pole marked his second in a row after Monza and the fifth for Ferrari, securing a strong starting position for the race.
The Race: Sainz’s Tactical Brilliance
Carlos Sainz maintained his front-row starting position for the second consecutive race in Singapore. He led from the start, with Leclerc securing second place after passing a Mercedes. Notably, Leclerc opted for soft tires, strategically aiming to protect Sainz’s position and target a double podium finish.
Around lap 10, Sainz assumed the race lead, and his engineer advised Leclerc to slow down to create a gap and preserve tire life.
On lap 19, a Safety Car was deployed due to debris from Logan Sargeant’s damaged front wing. This prompted pit stops for hard tires, with Sainz executing a quick pit stop while Leclerc faced traffic and delays during his stop, dropping him behind Russell and Norris.
After the restart, Russell closed in on Sainz but was unable to overtake due to Sainz’s tire-saving strategy. The Ferraris’ hard tires were nearing the end of their life, so Sainz employed a clever strategy. He slowed down to keep Norris in his DRS zone, preventing the Mercedes duo from catching up.
Ultimately, Carlos Sainz won the Singapore GP 2023, leading every lap of the race. This victory ended Max Verstappen’s streak of wins and dashed Red Bull’s hopes of a perfect season.
The Italian national anthem, “Inno di Mameli,” played in Singapore for the first time in three years, a momentous occasion for Ferrari. Team Principal Fred Vasseur praised Sainz and Leclerc for their exceptional performance throughout the weekend, and Ferrari’s President John Elkann expressed his joy over the victory.
With this win, Carlos Sainz sits 5th in the Driver’s Championship with 142 points, while Charles Leclerc is 6th with 123 points. Ferrari holds 3rd place in the team standings with 265 points. However, the team remains focused on the challenges ahead, with Suzuka as the next battleground.
