Fast, painstakingly challenging and utterly unpredictable; the Singapore Grand Prix is an event that is as popular as it is keenly looked forward to, and that’s true for both the fans as well as the drivers.
It was Formula 1’s first ever night racing venue, a track that in the past has seen greats like Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel battling for the ultimate prize- the top step of the podium.
Once you do step on it, you appear more exasperated and fatigued than is the case with other venues, which explains how tiring Singapore can get.
Moreover, in the recent runs of this feisty contest, we’ve seen several safety car deployments and rain interruptions.
Last year’s contest was nearly washed out before Red Bull exulted in the end under utterly rain soaked conditions.
As a matter of fact, each and every Singapore Grand Prix event, thirteen to be precise (as on date), have had, at least, one safety car deployment period.
Moreover, the last 5 races here have seen 10 safety car deployments. That should give a clear idea of just how action packed a venue this one is on the calendar.
So as the fourteenth instalment of one of the most talked about races is set to begin on Sunday, October 17, 2023, which drivers from the current grid can expect some interesting and positive results?
To cut it precisely, which drivers can hope to cross some crucial racing milestones in this next race?
Charles Leclerc
One of the most promising and talented drivers on the grid, one vastly considered the golden boy of Ferrari hasn’t quite experienced such a brilliant year.
That’s despite having to his name three podiums while his teammate has had to contend with only one so far.
But despite all of that, Leclerc will be geared up to contest a thrilling and hopefully rewarding Singapore Grand Prix. It’s a venue where he’s sitting mightily close to completing a famous milestone in terms of his overall Grand Prix racing career.
Charles Leclerc has 979 points in total. If he wins, he gets 25, which will take him beyond the tally of 1,000 Formula 1 points.
He finished 9th in 2018, which was followed by a brilliant 2nd in 2019 and then another 2nd in 2022.
Going by Ferrari’s decent form at the venue, the fans will hope the team comes good once again at a venue where they last won back in 2019.
Sergio Perez
In what’s clearly a milestone weekend for the noted driver from Mexico, Sergio Perez and his fans will have their eyes set on Singapore, what’s poised to be the talented Red Bull driver’s 250th Formula 1 Grand Prix.
250 is a serious number. It talks about the high level of performance, sheer rigor and consistency put forth by an athlete.
And Perez, who last won here in 2022, comfortably beating the two Ferrari drivers and emerging way clear of his Red Bull teammate, would ideally want a podium finish for his 250th GP.
The big question, however, is can the famous Mexican convert the podium into a win?
We shall have to wait and see.
Max Verstappen
He’s the defending world champion. He’s on his way to capturing a third drivers’ world title. He’s had a rather incredible run of form having bagged ten back-to-back wins, a milestone never previously achieved by anyone ever in the glorious world of Formula 1.
But there’s a problem.
So far, Max Verstappen has never won at Singapore and moreover, has a rather lukewarm though record of collecting just two podium finishes at the track.
One each in 2018 and 2019; his best result being the P2 that the Dutchman secured in the 2018 run of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Can the defending world champion from the famous Red Bull stable turn things around and give us a cracker of a contest to remember?
Can that elusive Singapore Grand Prix win come about for the man from the Netherlands in the next few hours?
Carlos Sainz jr.
The Ferrari driver and also the team’s most recent pole sitter going by the recent Italian Grand Prix qualifying at Monza is also sitting on the brink of an interesting milestone. Nonetheless, it’s one that the famous Spaniard can achieve sans much effort or too much grind.
At the moment Carlos Sainz Jr. has against his racing record a tally of 899.5 points in F1.
Should he even score a solitary point, not that Ferrari would like that very much as they’d expect him to do considerably better, Sainz will take his points tally to beyond 900.
And few more in the coming races and he’ll become yet another driver to take his career tally beyond one thousand F1 points.
Fernando Alonso
So far, the legend that is double world champion Fernando Alonso has no fewer than five podiums at the renowned Singapore Grand Prix venue.
Each of his podiums came in – 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 editions of the famous race.
However, the man who was the winner of the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix (2008) last managed to break into the top three on the podium in 2013.
So this leads to a very valid and obvious question. Can Alonso finally break the Singapore jinx and capture a podium having last done so a decade back in the day?
Lest it is forgotten, he’s armed with a mega and high performing machine. But the main question is- will that blitzy Aston Martin hold onto its own at the famously challenging night racing event?