After a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix, we now head to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix, and it promises to be exciting for race fans.
McLaren has claimed the top berth in the constructors’ standings after 17 races, and the Papayas hope to keep it that way until the conclusion of the campaign. However, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will face heavy resistance from Ferrari and Red Bull as their drivers aim to bounce back from Baku.
Meanwhile, there’s a huge sense of urgency, particularly for Max Verstappen, as his status as the defending champion may be in danger.
Without further ado, here are some of the latest Singapore Grand Prix 2024 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Can Red Bull get over the hump in Singapore?
Red Bull are no longer the team to beat, as McLaren and Ferrari have gone back-and-forth in the last three races, and it was only a matter of time where they will eventually cede the top spot of the constructors’ standings.
After a P2 finish in the Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen failed to secure a podium spot in Monza and Baku, and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez hasn’t done so well either in that period.
Verstappen was outshone by Perez in Baku throughout the weekend, as the former started outside the top five for the third time in four races after yet another subpar qualifying.
Sergio Perez was in the fight for victory last time out, as he looked much more comfortable on a track he has won twice at. However, a late collision with Carlos Sainz Jr. wrecked his hopes of securing at least P3 for the first time since the Chinese Grand Prix.
While it’s encouraging to see some fight from Perez, the Mexican has to complete the result to help Red Bull’s cause of reclaiming the top berth from McLaren.
Max Verstappen still holds a sizeable lead in the drivers’ standings, but his current form leaves much to be desired. His reign of dominance already feels like a distant memory, and the Dutchman attributes it to the recurring balance problems of the RB20.
Ferrari to bring in one key upgrade
We all know that what happened to Carlos Sainz Jr. in Baku was unfortunate. However, as for Charles Leclerc, he was left running for his missed opportunities to win his second consecutive race.
“To be honest, we lost the race when I didn’t quite defend as well as I should have at the end of the straight, but it’s the way it is. Sometimes you do mistakes, and I’ll learn from it,” Leclerc lamented.
Leclerc controlled the early stages of the race from pole position, but he was overtaken by Piastri into Turn 1 after a pit stop. The Monegasque driver tried to return the favour for the next 30-something laps, but he couldn’t get the job done since his tyres wore out in the closing stages.
Besides fine-tuning their race strategy this weekend, Ferrari are said to be bringing in a new spec front wing to improve the SF-24’s aerodynamics, similar to the flexi-wing component of McLaren’s MCL38.
The idea is for the SF-24 to be able to generate enough downforce to take on high-speed corners, which are present in Marina Bay.
History
Ferrari have had good memories in Marina Bay, as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. were the pole-sitters in the past three editions of this race. However, Leclerc didn’t win at all, while Sebastian Vettel (2019) and Carlos Sainz Jr. (2023) won one each for Ferrari, with Sergio Perez winning the other one in 2022.
Speaking of Vettel, he is the winningest driver in Marina Bay with five wins, including a three-peat from 2011 to 2013. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton is the winningest active driver on this circuit with four wins, including consecutive triumphs in 2017 and 2018.
What are the odds?
The most recent Singapore Grand Prix 2024 odds indicate that McLaren should perform well once more this weekend. Lando Norris is the favourite at 1.25, while his Papaya teammate Oscar Piastri isn’t far behind at 1.40.
Max Verstappen is slightly above Piastri at 1.35, while Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell are viable contenders for the podium at 1.77, 1.82, and 1.91, respectively.
Furthermore, Franco Colapinto, who replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams three weeks ago, is poised to be in the points for the second consecutive race at 3.32, which would bolster his chances of landing a permanent seat in Formula 1 next year.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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