Verstappen could clinch 2nd F1 title if he wins Singapore GP

Verstappen, Verstappen could clinch 2nd F1 title if he wins Singapore GP

Last year’s extreme Formula One championship contest was open until the last day. This year’s championship is more of a parade for Max Verstappen. It could happen if the Red Bull driver topS the Singapore Grand Prix and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fails. Verstappen is ahead of LeClerc by 116 points and will win if he manages 22 points more than him. He is his most realistic competitor. 

The Red Bull driver turned 25 on Friday and has to win to secure a second world title. If Verstappen wins, the Ferrari driver will not finish higher than the ninth. In addition, if the Red Bull driver wins and gets a bonus point, the Ferrari driver won’t finish higher than position eight. 

Verstappen stated it was quite a long shot to clinch his second title by winning the Singapore GP. He stated that luck could work better for him. Verstappen said that racing at Suzuka would be the first proper opportunity he gets to win the title. He also added that he was concentrating on the race in Singapore and excited for the coming weeks. 

Still, there will be less drama at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sunday than last year in Abu Dhabi, when Lewis Hamilton failed to win after losing in the last lap to Verstappen. After a disorganized late restart, he missed out on an eighth title in a controversial finish. 

That people will not get to see this type of drama is something Hamilton regrets. He revealed he had felt sorry for the fans since last year. The competition was intense right to the very last minute, and this provided the thrill fans loved. It was never a good thing for the fans when the season finishes early. For the winner, it was great, but for the sport, it made it less spectacular, and he hoped the future would be better. 

Main challengers

Red Bull racer Sergio Perez, Mercedes racer George Russell, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. are the only challengers. Red Bull will likely allow Verstappen to win and deploy Perez to defend the driver. Verstappen has already won 11 of the 16 races, including the last five taking his total tally to 31. He said the season was exceptional, and he enjoyed himself a lot, and he also revealed he would enjoy it more once the season ended. He had also won from seven grid positions, including when he started at position 14 during last month’s Belgian GP. 

The McLaren driver revealed it was good to watch from his car, especially considering he started at the 14th position and still won. 

Hamilton has not been close to challenging Verstappen after his time in the spotlight. Two of his titles were won on the last day. The first was in 2008 when he passed his opponent in the last corner of the last lap, and in 2014 when he won against teammate Nico Rosberg in Abu Dhabi. In 2016, he lost the race to Rosberg. In 2015, he won the title with three races remaining, and in 2020 he won it at the Turkish GP in a season that was shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

PRACTICE SESSIONS

The Mercedes driver hit form during the practice sessions to clinch the first position. Saiz led in the second practice ahead of Russell and LeClerc, with Verstappen coming fourth though he spent less time on the track. When the first practice started, LeClerc returned to the team garage with mechanics to work on his breaks, which lasted 20 minutes. As the second practice ended, Pierre Gasly jumped out of his AlphaTauri car as his team extinguished the fire that started at the back of his car. The third practice was held on Saturday.