Ferrari favourites and the joker in the pack - Who has the best chance of Singapore GP victory?

F1 Opinion

Ferrari favourites and the joker in the pack - Who has the best chance of Singapore GP victory?

A surprise lack of Red Bull at the front of the grid makes the Singapore GP an intriguing prospect

Joe Ellis

Sunday 17 September 2023 08:57

Nobody would have predicted the results of qualifying at the Singapore GP and it has thrown the cat very much amongst the pigeons.

Carlos Sainz will start from pole for the second race in a row but the Red Bulls will be well down outside the top 10 after a shocking Saturday at the Marina Bay Circuit.

With that surprise result, the door has been opened for the rest of the grid to claim their first win of the season under the lights.

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GPFans takes a look at who has the best chance of victory after the top five were covered by just half a second.

Carlos Sainz - 9/10

Unquestionably the favourite based off the whole weekend has to be the pole man Sainz, who is reinvigorated after taking pole position and a podium at Monza.

The Spaniard has been the outright fastest driver all weekend and if he can get away out front, he could be tough to catch without the intervention of a safety car or potential weather.

George Russell - 8/10

Alongside Sainz on the front row comes George Russell and he will be hoping the Silver Arrows' impressive race pace shows itself again in Singapore.

Mercedes were the only team to stop Red Bull having a 23-race winning streak and want to do it again in Singapore

With an extra set of medium tyres to play with, the 25-year-old might be the best placed to challenge Ferrari and Sainz should tyre wear become a bigger problem than anticipated.

Charles Leclerc - 6/10

After the two Prancing Horses nearly came to blows on home soil last time out, Leclerc may be asked to sit tight and not attack his team-mate should they find themselves nose to tail again.

Unless he can make a stellar start on lap one, the Monegasque's chances of victory will require a big slice of luck on strategy or a problem for Sainz.

Lando Norris - 4/10

The joker in the pack, Lando Norris is the only McLaren up the sharp end with his newly upgraded machine underneath him working wonders.

McLaren might be in 'Stealth Mode' with their new liver but there was nothing stealthy about Lando Norris' P4 in qualifying

Whether the MCL60 can keep up with Mercedes and Ferrari over the course of a whole race is still to be seen and not having a rear-gunner nearby could prevent his charge to victory.

Lewis Hamilton - 6/10

Much like Russell, Lewis Hamilton has an extra set of medium tyres which could prove vital later in the race but the seven-time champion has to come from further back.

The race pace of the W14 gives him a good chance of a podium but he, like Leclerc, may need a slice of luck to find himself at the front.

Max Verstappen - 2/10

He may be down in 11th on the grid but you can never write off the reigning champion, especially after 10 straight wins.

The Dutchman will need a sensational start to give himself a chance but unless Red Bull can find the sweet spot for the RB19, his chance of victory will have to rely on rain and chaos ahead of him.