“The whole team did a great job” – Lando Norris

Lando Norris‘ run of finishing in seventh-place finally came to an end, as the McLaren F1 Team driver crossed the line in a brilliant fourth-place, after a strategically flawless performance.

The British driver made a strong start to the Singapore Grand Prix and quickly found himself all on his own in fifth. With conditions being treacherous, Norris was told that he’d be extending his opening stint on the Intermediates by as long as possible, something which worked perfectly for both him and the Woking-based team.

Norris did amazingly to defend fifth from Max Verstappen not long before his pit-stop, which he made during a full Safety Car was released due to Yuki Tsunoda having crashed at Turn Ten.

This allowed Norris a beautifully cheap stop which elevated him to fourth, which is where he had risen to after Lewis Hamilton slid into the barrier. In all honesty, nothing else really happened for the Brit during his race, apart from a scary moment when Verstappen nearly went into the back of him at a Virtual Safety Car restart; however, that was before his cheap pit-stop.

Norris was impossible to overtake, something the Dutchman found out at the restart for Tsunoda’s crash, where he went into the run-off at Turn Seven following a hige lock-up whilst trying to lunge up the inside of the Brit.

Norris was very happy with his performance at the Marina Bay Circuit, and was quick to say “well done to the entire team”.

“A very good day, with both cars in the top five. It was a tough race, especially with the conditions, but the whole team did a great job today. We scored a lot of points which was so important for the Constructors’ Championship. Well done to the entire team. I’m very happy.” 

“Some things fell in our favour” – Daniel Ricciardo

After what was a woeful qualifying, Daniel Ricciardo recovered brilliantly for his best result of the season, fifth.

Despite having been knocked out in Qualifying One, Ricciardo made an excellent start to the race and benefitted massively from both BWT Alpine F1 Team drivers retiring. It wasn’t long until the Aussie found himself in the points places, before being elevated all the way to sixth after also pitting during the Safety Car for Tsunoda.

Sixth became fifth thanks to Verstappen running-off the circuit at Turn Seven, as the Honey Badger sealed his first top five of the year.

Ricciardo was “very pleased” with the race and praised his side for being “sensible”.

“I’m very happy. I haven’t had a top five all year so I’m very pleased with that. I feel like some things fell in our favour today, but I also think we were very patient and mature. It was very tempting to jump on a slick and try to be a hero in the position we were in – but I think we were just sensible, bided our time and that obviously allowed an opportunity with other cars, and then a Safety Car.

“I’m really pleased the first lap was good, we made some positions there as well. So, we did everything right. We maximised a top five and it was a big one for the team in the Constructors’ Championship, so everyone’s got a smile on their faces.” 

Credit: Octane Photographic Ltd