Max Verstappen is assured that he’ll reclaim the lead on the Japanese Grand Prix after Pink Bull’s lackluster efficiency in Singapore.
Pink Bull have dominated the Formulation One roost all 12 months – with 14 victories from 14 previous to Sunday’s spherical within the metropolis state, whereas Verstappen had been unbeaten in his final 10 appearances, setting a brand new report of consecutive wins alongside the best way.
However the Dutch driver and Pink Bull lastly met their match on the distinctive, low-speed, high-downforce Marina Bay Circuit.
Verstappen certified eleventh earlier than driving again to fifth, taking the chequered flag 21 seconds behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz – the Spaniard turning into the primary non-Pink Bull winner of the 12 months.
Nonetheless, Verstappen, victorious at 12 of the 15 rounds to this point, expects the fast-flowing Suzkua monitor will see him return to successful methods subsequent weekend.
“Sure, that’s the goal,” he mentioned. “This monitor is so completely different to Suzuka and it doesn’t relate.
“Now we have realized a bit from as we speak, and have a number of concepts with what we bought unsuitable yesterday. I can not go into particulars however I be ok with Suzuka.”
Verstappen completed three locations forward of team-mate Sergio Perez to increase his championship lead from 145 factors to 151.
Verstappen can now not safe his third world title at subsequent weekend’s race in Japan, with the Qatar Grand Prix on Oct. 8 a attainable vacation spot for his coronation.
Pink Bull’s failure to win ends their bid to grow to be the primary group in historical past to undergo a season unbeaten.
“We by no means anticipated it,” Pink Bull group principal Christian Horner mentioned. “To have gotten by way of 14 races, in a number of circumstances, is past our wildest imaginings. It’s a hell of a run.
“We knew it needed to come to an finish in some unspecified time in the future. Max has gained 10 in a row and that’s madness.
“The one driver who has finished 9 is Sebastian (Vettel) in one in all our automobiles so to have the primary and second most winningest drivers in F1 is nice – even when statistics apparently don’t matter. This type of dominance is testimony to everybody concerned.”
His statistics remark was a dig at Mercedes group boss Toto Wolff, who mentioned just lately that Verstappen’s report was “irrelevant.”