Lando Norris maintained his world championship title with a commanding victory for McLaren at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The Briton showed incredible speed from start to finish under the street circuit’s floodlights to take victory, but Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen held off his rivals by finishing second for Red Bull.
Norris, who finished 20 seconds ahead of Verstappen, cut the gap on the Dutchman to 52 points with six rounds remaining in the season.
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Norris narrowly avoided hitting the wall while leading the Singapore Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri provided further evidence of McLaren’s speed by moving from fifth on the grid to third at the chequered flag stage, ahead of Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, giving the team a 41-point lead over Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
Russell edged Charles Leclerc to take fourth, while Hamilton, frustrated after the seven-time world champion’s gamble to start on soft tyres from third on the grid failed, finished sixth, ahead of fellow Ferrari Carlos Sainz.
Norris had failed to hold the lead on the first lap in each of his previous five Grands Prix starts from pole position, but this time he made a superb start, taking the lead comfortably on the approach to the first corner.
He then opened up a 25-second lead over Verstappen before the first and only round of pitstops, showing a speed advantage that should boost belief that he can mount a stunning comeback to stop the Dutchman from claiming a fourth successive drivers’ title.
Norris’ only moments of danger were self-inflicted, as on lap 29, just before the pit stop, he locked up and hit the barrier, causing minor damage to his front wing, and on lap 45 he hit the barrier again with his right rear wheel.
“It was an amazing race,” Norris said. “There were so many close calls. There were a couple of little moments in the middle, but other than that, I thought it was well-controlled.
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Norris successfully held off title contender Verstappen on the opening lap of the Singapore Grand Prix to maintain his lead.
“The car was amazing. I was able to push it, fly through the race, and at the end I was able to just take a break and run. So it was a good race, it was still tough. I was a little out of breath, but it was a fun race.”
Norris was expected to score additional points by recording the fastest lap of the race before being beaten by Daniel Ricciardo, who finished 18th last on the track and was therefore ineligible for points, but stopped for new tyres on the penultimate circuit in an attempt to beat his former teammate’s time.
Ricciardo, who drives for Red Bull Junior Squad RB, is expected to make way for Liam Rawlsson ahead of next month’s United States Grand Prix.
With just six races remaining in Formula 1 2024, the season resumes with the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 18-20, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month membership – no contract, cancel anytime
