Comparing where we were this time last year to the current standings, it seems crazy that we are now discussing Max Verstappen’s chances of winning the Drivers Championship this weekend.
For Verstappen to win, it would rely on a perfect weekend from Max’s side of the garage paired with horrendous luck of performance from both Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, the two drivers closest to him in the standings.
Verstappen has said he’s “not thinking about it” when asked if he’s got the Championship on his mind this weekend. However, there’s no doubt he’s feeling cool and confident with his monumental lead in both performance and points.
On another note, every single fan, driver, and team member seems happy to be back in Singapore. Last time F1 raced in Singapore it was 2019. To put into perspective how much has changed since the last outing around Marina Bay Circuit, Sebastian Vettel was the winner of that race, driving for Ferrari.
Alex Albon will return to the grid this weekend, having recovered from his appendicitis surgery and resultant complications. However, his weekend off has further spiced up the driver market with the opportunity it provided to Nyck De Vries to show what he can do in an F1 race.
Zhou was confirmed for Alfa Romeo in 2023 earlier this week, narrowing down the gaps in next years driver line ups. Spots remain at Williams after the announcement of Nicholas Latifi’s departure, Alpine after the whole Alonso-Piastri fiasco, and the mystery of who will partner Kevin Magnussen at Haas.
FP1 ended with Lewis Hamilton topping the timesheets ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc respectively. This could suggest that Mercedes will be slightly more favoured around this street circuit, with many feeling that they have simply dropped the ball this season.
Whether we have Verstappen claiming his title early after what will be the biggest comeback from a points deficit ever, Leclerc attempting to regain some momentum for the final part of the season with a win, or a surprise victory to keep us all on the edge of our seats, the bright lights of Marina Bay are sure to provide an interesting race.
Waiting for the sun to set, the night race awaits...who will be the driver to claim the win?
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