The 2024 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix belonged to Lando Norris. The McLaren driver delivered a commanding performance, leading every lap of the race to take a crucial win and edge closer to championship leader Max Verstappen. Despite surviving two scares with the walls around Marina Bay, Norris crossed the finish line with an impressive 20.9-second margin over Verstappen. This performance secured his third win of the season.
The win allows Norris to chip away at Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship, closing the gap by another seven points. With just six races remaining in the season, the battle for the championship is far from over. Norris now trails Verstappen by 52 points.
A Clean Start and Two Close Calls
From the moment the lights went out, Norris seemed in control of the race. Norris was able to defend his lead into Turn 1 and managed the gap to Verstappen behind him. However, despite his dominance, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the McLaren driver. Twice, he clipped the wall—once on lap 29 at the exit of Turn 14. The result caused minor damage to his front wing, and again on lap 45 at the entry to Turn 10. Thankfully for Norris, McLaren deemed the damage to be insignificant, and the driver managed to avoid any further incidents as he cruised to victory.
Piastri’s Podium and McLaren’s Constructors’ Lead
Norris wasn’t the only McLaren driver celebrating in Singapore, as his teammate Oscar Piastri secured a well-earned podium finish. Starting from fifth on the grid, Piastri showed his skill as he overtook both Mercedes drivers in the latter half of the race to finish third behind Verstappen. His performance helped McLaren extend its lead in the constructors’ championship to 41 points over Red Bull.
Russell Holds Off Leclerc, Hamilton Struggles
George Russell finished just off the podium in fourth place after fending off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the closing laps. Leclerc, who started ninth, made steady progress through the field. In the end, the Ferrari driver couldn’t get close enough to challenge Russell for fourth.
It was a frustrating race for Lewis Hamilton, who started third on the grid but dropped down the order to finish sixth. Mercedes’ decision to start the seven-time champion on soft tires—a less conventional choice compared to the mediums used by most teams—forced Hamilton into an early pit stop. As the race wore on, Hamilton struggled for pace, unable to recover the lost positions.
Sainz and Alonso Battle Back, Perez Takes Final Point
Carlos Sainz, who started a disappointing tenth, managed to climb his way back up to seventh by the end of the race. Sainz finished ahead of fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso, in eighth. Nico Hulkenberg secured two valuable points for Haas, finishing ninth.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez rounded out the points finishers in tenth place after starting from 13th. Perez’s solitary point came at the expense of Williams’ rookie Franco Colapinto. The rookie finished 11th and narrowly missed out on a second points finish in just his third Formula 1 race. The Mexican driver initially found it difficult to overtake the Argentine rookie but was able to gain the place with an earlier pit stop strategy.
Magnussen and Albon Retire
There were only two retirements from the race. Kevin Magnussen’s day ended early after he suffered lasting damage from an earlier puncture caused by contact with the wall. Williams’ Alex Albon also retired, his race cut short due to an overheating power unit.
Closing Quotes
Let’s take a look at what the top two finishers had to say about their race.
Race winner for Mclaren, Norris, enjoyed his time in the lead:
“It was an amazing race. A few too many close calls – I had a couple of little moments in the middle, but it was well controlled I think, otherwise.”
“The car was mega, I could push and we were flying the whole race. It was a nice race. Still tough, I’m a bit out of breath, but very fun one.”
After bringing home second for Red Bull, Verstappen recalled how he had to focus on his race:
“Yeah that’s pretty much my race. I tried to do the best I could to manage my own pace to the end. The first stint was difficult for us, I tried to manage the tire degradation and the second stint was a bit better, I was a bit more comfortable as well.”
“I think on a weekend where we knew we were going to struggle to be P2 is a good achievement, but of course we’re not happy with second and now we have to prove more and more.”
Looking Ahead to Austin
As the championship heads to Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix on October 20, the battle between Norris and Verstappen continues to heat up. Now with just 52 points separating the two. Every race counts as both drivers look to cement their place in Formula 1 history. Can Norris continue his momentum, or will Verstappen strike back in the Lone Star State?
View the full results of the race here.
