Max Verstappen, who has ten back-to-back wins so far in 2023 is on the verge of seeing this historic streak come to an end after a poor qualifying performance on Saturday, in Singapore. As Verstappen qualified in P11, it is certainly not going to be easy for him to overtake the drivers ahead of him and win on a track like Singapore. Therefore, Verstappen, as per Sky Sports F1, is sure that his unbeaten record is coming to an end on Sunday.
The Red Bull driver arrived in Singapore, feeling wary of his chances. His hunch was right, as both he and his teammate Sergio Perez struggled during qualifying. It was the young Liam Lawson who knocked the two-time champion out of qualifying.
Max Verstappen reflects on the incidents of impeding he is being investigated for in Singapore 👇 pic.twitter.com/oMrBVKZ3Cs
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 16, 2023
Sergio Perez, before coming to Singapore has already mentioned how important the pole position is in the Marina Bay Circuit. Therefore, with both the Bulls out of the top 10, it is highly unlikely that they will be anywhere near the top spot on Sunday.
Max Verstappen knew Singapore GP would not be a great hunting ground for him
Even before Verstappen suited up for qualifying, he realized that his practice run timings would not be good enough for top positions on Saturday. Unfortunately, he proved himself right after the defending champion failed to get the better of an AlphaTauri in Q2.
Talking about this, he said, “I’m afraid it’s not going to be enough to be really fighting for the top positions.” As the qualification was completed, Verstappen looked extremely frustrated. After the session was over, he stated, “I knew it was always going to be tough to put it on pole but this I didn’t expect.”
“I’m afraid it’s not going to be enough to be really fighting for the top positions” 💬
Max Verstappen on heading out for qualifying in Singapore 👇 pic.twitter.com/t7gJIEdRou
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 16, 2023
However, it would be foolish to rule out the Dutchman so early. Verstappen isn’t starting all the way from the back of the grid, so he has an outside of chance of grabbing the win. This is all because of the dominant RB-19 he has underneath him.
Can Red Bull still make it to the top?
Even though Max Verstappen starts the race from P11, his main tussles are expected to be with the Ferrari duo, Mercedes duo, and Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso of McLaren and Aston Martin respectively.
This is because the Haas duos, an Alpine and an AlphaTauri are no match for a Red Bull when it comes to the race pace. On the other hand, Carlos Sainz, who is in pole position, claims that Mercedes is more of a threat. This is because of their proximity to them in the starting position.
All in all, Red Bull and Max Verstappen falling behind in qualification has been a joy to watch for the majority of the fans. Red Bull has won every single race this season, and most fans want someone else to get the win in Singapore on Sunday.
