Lando Norris clinched a commanding victory in Singapore, but not without trying to sabotage himself—twice! Most drivers can barely survive one mistake at this circuit, let alone two, yet Norris somehow escaped unscathed.
While his talent is undeniable, those moments of foolishness show he’s still a bit short compared to the all-time greats. But in fairness, it’s his first real shot at a championship, and the pressure is clearly mounting.
Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto is turning into a serious headache for Alex Albon. The rookie’s raw pace has been impressive, and it’s becoming clear that Colapinto deserves a full-time seat. If he continues challenging Albon for the rest of the season, Albon’s stock may fall, casting his dominance over past teammates in a less flattering light.
Suddenly, Albon’s story could go from generational talent derailed by Red Bull’s second-seat curse to mere stat-padding for the last few seasons at Williams.
Speaking of Red Bull, we likely just saw Daniel Ricciardo’s last race. The ever-smiling Aussie was visibly emotional throughout the weekend, and by Sunday, it was clear he knew the end was near.
Ricciardo hasn’t done enough to warrant keeping the second seat alongside Max Verstappen, and Red Bull is right to bring in Liam Lawson. If Lawson outpaces Yuki Tsunoda in the remaining races, don’t be surprised if Sergio Perez faces early retirement.
As for Yuki, even if he performs well against Lawson, Helmut Marko’s biased view of his emotions may keep him out of the top seat—a lingering racial undertone that leaves an uneasy feeling whenever Marko speaks about him.
Mercedes’ strategy left Lewis Hamilton high and dry, prioritising George Russell in the race. After a solid qualifying, Hamilton’s potential for a strong finish was squandered by starting him on soft tires—a mad decision. Even if he got ahead of Verstappen at Turn 1, it was a gamble dependent on a safety car. It was a statistically good bet, but not one you take when starting in P3. A massive missed opportunity for Mercedes, and another reminder of their inconsistent race execution this season. Hamilton surely counting the days until he can don the red overalls.
