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The 2025 F1 Singapore GP kicks off what's going to be a very interesting last stretch of 7 races, where we have a new title contender potentially entering the picture. Max Verstappen has won the last two races in dominant fashion and put the championship-leading McLaren duo on alert.
The driver is now 69 points behind Oscar Piastri, a gap that has shrunk significantly since the summer break, and we head to a track where he's not had a great record.
The F1 Singapore GP often tends to be a slow burner, and it does have a knack for throwing a spanner in the works. With that being said, what can we expect from the race? Let's take a look.
2025 F1 Singapore GP: Preview
Key Storylines
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#1 The 3rd wheel of the title battle
For now, Max Verstappen is nothing but an innocent bystander in the title battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. He's still too far behind, and it's not that straightforward to close that gap.
However, he will be keeping a keen eye on how his Red Bull performs at the F1 Singapore GP. If the car is strong and he's fighting for the win this weekend, the 3rd wheel might end up becoming the favorite.
#2 The delayed Mercedes contract extension
In the background at Mercedes, there is a certain level of tension that is bubbling away. There are just 7 races left this season, neither of the drivers has had their contract extensions signed. The delay is not only a surprise but also a hint at disagreements between the two parties.
As the season gets closer to an end, questions will be asked about what's going on if announcements don't come soon enough.
#3 Ferrari trending towards a win-less season
The race in Baku showed how uncompetitive Ferrari has become, and maybe the call to switch car concept last season was a poor one. The wheels have been coming off for a while now, and the F1 Singapore GP might be next.
One would expect the car to do well here, considering how it has been quite competitive for the last two seasons at this track. Unfortunately, the inability to run the car low enough and avoid plank wear is going to be a factor again as pressure ramps for the Italian team.
Form Guide
In Form
This has to go to Max Verstappen for sure. The driver just dominated two consecutive races in a season where he's not even expected to be a title contender. He's coming to the Singapore GP, a track where he's never won, with expectations of a better run this time. More importantly, though, a strong race here sets up his title bid.
Out of Form
McLaren's 2025 F1 campaign seems to have hit a snag, as the car that was dominating the sport pre-summer break has been soundly beaten in Monza and Baku. This week it goes to the F1 Singapore GP, a track that it dominated last season and would potentially prove to be a litmus test for the rest of the season.
Driver with the biggest spotlight
Away from the spotlight on Max Verstappen and the championship leader Oscar Piastri that he's potentially trying to hunt down, Lando Norris has eaten into the championship lead that Oscar Piastri had after Zandvoort. The Briton is now less than 30 points behind, and he's going to a track where he dominated last year.
While the focus on Verstappen is warranted, Norris has been slowly creeping up on his title rival as well.
2025 F1 Singapore GP: Predictions
Who wins the race?
When it comes to Red Bull, it still is a case of "you want to see it first to believe it". And hence, for now, we're still backing McLaren going into the F1 Singapore GP.
When it comes to the championship-leading duo, this track has been quite good for Norris, and he has had impressive pace in the past as well. We're picking the Brit to close the gap even more to the Aussie and win the race.
Biggest surprise of the weekend? (Team)
One driver who tends to go well at Singapore and has decent success around the track is Fernando Alonso. You couple that with the fact that the lack of long straights is arguably going to make Aston Martin a competitive car around this track, and you have the veteran as one of the better picks for a strong result.
Biggest surprise of the weekend? (Driver)
This race is an opportunity for teams like Aston Martin to do some giant killing. The car tends to do well at higher downforce tracks, and this one certainly is that. Expect the Silverstone-based team to pick off a few drivers from the top 4 teams in the F1 Singapore GP.
Biggest disappointment of the weekend? (Team)
Singapore is one of the tracks where Charles Leclerc excels, while Lewis Hamilton doesn't have the most affinity. The bumpy nature could potentially catch the drivers out, and it might be a concern for the veteran when compared to his younger teammate.
Biggest disappointment of the weekend? (Driver)
Mercedes comes to the track on the back of an impressive podium in Baku. Unfortunately the high downforce and high temperature conditions are not ideal for the car. After a P2 finish for Russell in Baku, the F1 Singapore GP might not be a good one for the German team.
