Red Bull’s perfect Formula 1 win record in 2023 faces its most serious threat. An “undriveable” RB19 in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix left Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez - who both played down expectations ahead of the round - bereft of confidence under braking and unsure of the cornering balance. As a result, Verstappen ran to 11th as his team-mate was 13th fastest.
This spot of misery for the hitherto dominant Milton Keynes outfit left the door open for an in-form Carlos Sainz to snatch pole position. He crossed the line to post a final 1m30.984s flying lap and pip Mercedes rival George Russell - the filling in a Ferrari sandwich - by 0.072s.
