This past weekend, Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen’s winning streak was broken by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver had tied the record for most consecutive wins by any driver in Formula 1 with retired driver Sebastian Vettel. In fact, if Verstappen had won at Singapore, he would have mathematically won the 2023 F1 Championship title. However, his dominance was quickly stripped as Red Bull struggled massively at the Marina Bay Street circuit. With Verstappen starting 11th and teammate Sergio Perez starting 13th on the grid, the drivers had little hope of bringing the win home.
The victory was taken by Sainz, marking him as the first non-Red Bull driver to win any race in this year’s season. The Ferrari driver explained to ESPN that it was a difficult drive, saying “There were a lot of moments out there where we were a bit under pressure and we kept it calm, we kept our plan, our strategy.” Sainz secured the second win of his career, and what F1 commentators and fans everywhere have regarded as his best drive.
Despite the devastating loss, Verstappen is still confident going into the next race, as he tells F1 TV, “I think we’ll be quick in Suzuka… We really have to understand this weekend, but Suzuka is, of course, a completely different track layout.”
