Formula 1: Carlos Sainz Jr. Triumphs In Singapore Grand Prix, Ending Max Verstappen And Red Bull's Winning Streaks

Red Bull had hoped to win every race this season, but Verstappen finished fifth and Perez eighth after suffering all weekend in Singapore.

Verstappen's victory streak stopped at ten races, while Red Bull's ended at fifteen, including one at the end of last year. Both of these are Formula One records.

Sainz began on pole and hung on with badly worn tyres during tight final laps to claim his second career F1 victory, ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes. On the final lap from third place, George Russell crashed the other Mercedes, promoting Hamilton to the podium.

“I felt under control. I felt like I could manage well and we brought it home. That was the best feeling,” Sainz said.

After the race, Sainz revealed that he had slowed down to keep Norris within the one-second window that enabled the McLaren driver access to the DRS straight-line speed increase – a key aid in keeping the two Mercedes at bay.

"We rolled the dice this weekend," Hamilton said after a Mercedes strategy choice forced both cars to stop for fresh tyres late in the race, dropping Russell from second to third in pursuit of the win.

After failing to hold off the Mercedes cars on older tyres, Charles Leclerc finished fourth, ahead of Verstappen in fifth. After starting 11th, the champion was momentarily second on track behind Sainz, but only because practically all other cars stopped for new tyres. Verstappen pushed his way back through the pack from 15th after his pit stop.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly finished sixth, McLaren's Oscar Piastri seventh after qualifying 18th, and Perez eighth. AlphaTauri rookie Liam Lawson got his first points in ninth place, while Haas' Kevin Magnussen finished tenth.

(With AP inputs)