How Verstappen can win F1 title this weekend; W Series facing possible financial crisis
Mark ThompsonGetty Images- To win the championship on Sunday, Max Verstappen would need to extend his current 116-point advantage to a 138-buffer over his nearest rival, whether that be Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez or George Russell.
- Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore has one of the slowest average laps of the season, with 61 laps required for a race distance, and it has hit the two-hour cut-off time more than once.
- Singapore will be on the F1 calendar through at least 2028 after a new contract was agreed during its COVID-19 hiatus.
Singapore is back on Formula 1’s calendar for the first time since 2019, with the 2020 and 2021 editions having been scrapped due to COVID-related entry restrictions.
The city state joined the schedule in 2008, as Formula 1’s first night race, and it will be on the calendar through at least 2028 after a new contract was agreed during its hiatus. It is often regarded as the toughest race of the season for teams and drivers for a multitude of reasons.
“The track is epic to drive,” said Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton on Thursday.
Remaining on European time and spending most of the traditional daylight hours in artificial light beneath the night sky presents its own challenges, while the tropical climate means it is relentlessly hot and sticky.
The bumpy street circuit features 23 turns—the second-highest number of turns drivers will face during the season—while there is little in the way of runoff. Marina Bay has one of the slowest average laps of the season, with 61 laps required for a race distance, and it has hit the two-hour cut-off time more than once. When drivers are training, this is the event they have in mind as one that will push them to the physical limit.
“It’s one of the toughest races because of the weather and also just because the track layout is how it is with corner, after corner, after corner without any rest,” said Haas driver Kevin Magnussen. “On most tracks, you get a couple of straights around the lap where you can get a breather but in Singapore, even on the so-called straight, it’s still kind of turning. It’s also very bumpy so you can’t really relax.”
It is set to be a particular challenge for Williams’ Alexander Albon, who is due to attempt a return on Friday. He missed the last race in Italy after suffering from appendicitis, which was followed by a brief stint in ICU after enduring respiratory failure following surgery. Nyck de Vries is again on standby in the event that Albon cannot complete the weekend.
“We got to a point where the recovery was going really well and I don’t think we truthfully had in mind Singapore on the cards, but just with the speed of the recovery it was a possible thing,” said Albon. “We sat long and hard to think about it. I feel like I am ready. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see where it’s at because driving around here is a bit of a different beast.”
How Verstappen Can Clinch
Max Verstappen can clinch the F1 title this weekend in Singapore, but it won’t be easy.
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Singapore’s Grand Prix also provides runaway points leader Verstappen with his first match point in this year’s championship. It remains a long shot for Verstappen to clinch his second world title as early as Sunday night and with five race weekends still left on the calendar after Singapore, but here is the math.
Verstappen would need to extend his current 116-point advantage to a 138-buffer over his nearest rival, whether that be Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez or George Russell. There are 26 points available on Sunday—25 for the win, and one for the fastest lap. But Verstappen isn’t yet focused on that outcome.
“We just try to have a good weekend, to win it here would be nice but it’s not something I’m really thinking about,” Verstappen said.
W Series In Trouble?
American Chloe Chambers drives for Jenner Racing in the W Series.
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Elsewhere, doubts persist over the viability of W Series amid a shortfall of funding.
A major backer is understood to have withdrawn support and that has left the all-female single-seater category in dire straights to complete its 2022 season. W Series is due to compete as a support series in Singapore this weekend, but cannot be sure of competing at its remaining scheduled rounds in Austin and Mexico City.
Keyword: Why Singapore Is F1’s ‘Toughest Challenge’ as Verstappen Goes for Clincher