Max Verstappen broke the hearts of the Tifosi by beating pole-sitter Carlos Sainz's Ferrari last time out in Italy, and the Red Bull bandwagon rolls on to a very different circuit for this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.
After the long straights of Monza, Singapore's Marina Bay is one of the twistiest circuits on the calendar which, combined with the stifling heat and humidity, makes for the most demanding physical test of the year for the drivers.
Verstappen is hot favourite to extend his record-breaking winning streak to 11 races, but we have identified some markets where more attractive prices are on offer.
Lando Norris fastest qualifier @ 14/1
Lewis Hamilton podium finish @ 6/4
Kevin Magnussen last classified finisher @ 11/4
Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.
What | Singapore Grand Prix |
Where | Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore |
When | 10:30 Friday September 15th - 13:00 Sunday September 17th |
How to watch | Sky Sports F1 |
Odds | Max Verstappen 1/4, Sergio Perez 9/1, Lewis Hamilton 16/1, Lando Norris 18/1, Fernando Alonso 20/1 |
Verstappen had to fight harder for his Italian Grand Prix victory than he has at a lot of races this year, but he still crossed the line six seconds clear of his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
The Dutch destroyer arrives in Singapore with a 145-point championship lead over Perez, his closest pursuer, and while he can't yet wrap up a third consecutive world championship, it is surely now only a matter of time.
The Marina Bay circuit has been altered since F1's last visit, with four slow corners bypassed, creating a longer back straight.
However, while that will provide some welcome rest for the drivers, the track remains more of a technical challenge than a test of power. Verstappen expects his Red Bull to be less competitive than at most circuits in F1's original night race, but they should still be clearly the top performers as their quest for F1s first ever perfect season continues.
While Verstappen looks pretty much unbeatable in races, he has shown vulnerability in qualifying sessions.
Discounting Saudi Arabia where his car broke down, and Miami where the session was brought to a premature end before he had set a competitive lap, the Dutchman has been beaten three times in a straight qualifying fight this season, and two of those reverses came in the last four races.
Lewis Hamilton got the better of a fight with Verstappen and Lando Norris for pole position in Hungary, while Carlos Sainz used Ferrari's straight-line speed advantage to deny the world champion at Monza last time.
Verstappen has also had to produce some stunning efforts to prevail in some other qualifying battles. Notable ones were in Monaco, where Fernando Alonso looked set to roll back the years, at Silverstone where Norris came agonisingly close to thrilling the home crowd, and in the Netherlands where again Norris was pipped at the post.
Since McLaren's upgrade began in Austria they have been arguably the most consistently quick car after Red Bull, even though the results don't reflect that.
A set-up strategy gamble didn't work in Belgium, while at Zandvoort their promise was wasted by failing to react to changing weather.
Straight-line speed is a weakness, so they were always going to struggle at Monza, but Singapore should provide an opportunity to shine again. Young Briton Norris looks worth a bet at 14/1 to come good in qualifying after his three near misses.
The formerly dominant Mercedes team continue to struggle to get on top of the new technical regulations introduced at the start of last year, but they look on course to finish second in the constructors championship.
Like most of the teams in the chasing pack, their form has been a bit inconsistent this season, but Lewis Hamilton has finished all bar one race in the top six.
Some of those results came from pretty unpromising positions, and while this won't rank among the seven-time world champion's favourite seasons, the 38-year-old has certainly shown he still has what it takes to operate at the sharp end of the pinnacle of motorsport.
Hamilton hasn't had a podium finish since his somewhat fortunate third place at Silverstone, but he has two fourth-place finishes in the last four races and the Singapore circuit should be a good match for his Mercedes machine.
F1's racing knight finished fourth in Monaco, setting the fastest lap of the race, and fourth in Hungary and is worth a punt at 6/4 to go one better at another twisty track where a classy driver can make a difference.
Haas will be happy if they can hang on to eighth place in the constructors standings after a dreadful season for the American outfit.
Nico Hulkenberg has flattered the machinery with some outstanding qualifying efforts, but the car has no race pace at all and their fellow back-of-the-grid rivals seem to have found more performance from development than Haas have.
Danish veteran Kevin Magnussen has been eliminated in Q1 at five of the last six race weekends and there's nothing to suggest a gruelling, twisty circuit is going to bring out the best in him or his Haas car.
Magnussen started the season promisingly with a couple of early points finishes, but he has come home 17th, 18th or 19th in six of the last eight races he has completed and looks the right favourite to whip-in the field in Singapore at 11/4.
Lando Norris fastest qualifier @ 14/1
Lewis Hamilton podium finish @ 6/4
Kevin Magnussen last classified finisher @ 11/4
Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.
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