Max Verstappen could clinch 2nd F1 title if he wins Singapore GP
Max Verstappen could clinch 2nd F1 title if he wins Singapore GP: This year’s Formula One championship has long seemed like a parade for Max Verstappen, in contrast to last year’s thrilling title duel that went down to the wire and enthralled the world of sport.
If the Red Bull driver wins the Singapore Grand Prix and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc falters, the title race might be finished by Sunday. Verstappen currently has a 116-point advantage over Leclerc and needs only 22 more points than his closest possible head-to-head competitor to win the championship.
Along with two other possibilities, including Leclerc, a second world championship requires a victory by Verstappen, who turned 25 on Friday.
If Verstappen takes the checkered flag, Leclerc can’t place higher than ninth; if Verstappen takes the checkered flag and receives the fastest lap bonus, Leclerc can’t place higher than eighth.
This is a very remote possibility,” Verstappen stated. I don’t put much stock in it happening here because I know I’ll need a lot of luck to achieve so. The Japanese Grand Prix on October 9 is the most likely venue for Verstappen to clinch the championship.
The Dutchman believes that “Suzuka will be my first proper opportunity to win the crown.”
Statements
So, “I am looking forward to Singapore at the moment, but next week is also really exciting.”
However, unlike last year in Abu Dhabi, when Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton lost the title on the penultimate lap to Verstappen, there will be no anxiety in the air at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sunday night. After a frantic late restart, Hamilton was denied a chance at a record eighth F1 championship.
In Hamilton’s opinion, it’s a shame that the show’s audience won’t see any dramatic developments like that this season. I sympathize with the audience members.
After last year’s nail-biting finish, Hamilton said, “It’s never great when the season ends early.” “It’s terrific for you as the lone victor, but it doesn’t do anything for the sport as a whole.
The future may be better, so let’s keep our fingers crossed. Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, is 125 points behind the leader, Mercedes’ George Russell is 132 points back, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. is 152 points back.
However, Red Bull is unlikely to give Perez a chance to beat its star driver, Max Verstappen, and would likely use Perez to defend Verstappen. For his career, Verstappen now has 31 victories after winning 11 of 16 races.
Declarations
I’m having a great time, and it’s been a fantastic season,” he gushed. However, “looking back on the season, I’m sure I’ll appreciate it more than I did at the time.”
In addition, he has set a single-season F1 record by winning from a record-tying seven different grid places, including last month’s Belgian GP after starting 14th. McLaren driver Lando Norris stated, “It’s even enjoyable to watch when you’re when in the vehicle.”
Especially when he gets a bad start but still manages to pull off an easy victory. After years in the limelight, Hamilton hasn’t come close to challenging Verstappen this year.
In 2008, Hamilton won the championship with a last-lap pass on Raikkonen in the final corner of the season’s final race, and in 2014, he defeated Nico Rosberg, his Mercedes teammate, in Abu Dhabi.
When the season concluded two years later, Rosberg had beaten him to the championship.
In 2015, Hamilton won the championship with three races left; in 2020, he won the title at the Turkish GP in a truncated season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
That tied him with all-time great Michael Schumacher, who won with six races left in 2002, at seven championships apiece. Schumacher had an incredible season, finishing first or second in 16 of 17 races and third in Malaysia (a race won by his younger brother Ralf).
ELUSIVE WIN
Hamilton has a record 103 victories, although he hasn’t won a race yet this year.
Mercedes has had trouble with porpoising and bouncing due to ground effect, where the floor provides aerodynamic grip, especially on street circuits like Monaco and Azerbaijan.
The 3.1-mile (5.0-kilometer) street course in Singapore is known for its tight turns and strong muscles, and it may prove to be difficult once again.
Let’s pray the automobile has better luck on these roads. Hamilton remarked, “It all depends on how bumpy it is; the bumps tend to set the car off.” Perhaps the car can be driven safely. Perhaps it won’t happen at all. However, he believes Mercedes has learned to make the most of opportune situations.
We are aware of those constraints. We’ll have to find ways to get past them,” he said. I think it was a stroke of luck that we ended up where we did.
So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a triumph isn’t too far off. On the other hand, Russell appears to have handled the situation better, since he is 35 points ahead of sixth-placed Hamilton in the rankings. In comparison to Hamilton’s six, he has seven podium finishes.
ALBON BACK
Three weeks after being hospitalized with appendicitis and severe respiratory distress, Williams driver Alex Albon is back on track.
Back in the Williams FW44 for Friday night’s first practice session, Albon braved the heat and humidity.
Russell commented, “It’s daring to return for the toughest race of the season having only just recovered. However, this demonstrates his tenacity and resolve. The drivers lose about 11 pounds (about 5 kilos) due to dehydration during Sunday’s race.
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