Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2022: Odds, Preview and Top Storylines
Max Verstappen resumes his Formula One World Championship push on Sunday at a track on which he has never won.
Verstappen comes into the Singapore Grand Prix with a 116-point advantage over Charles Leclerc in a drivers' championship that could be wrapped up as early as Sunday.
Verstappen needs to beat Leclerc by 22 points to leave Singapore with an unassailable lead. If not, he can move one step closer to celebrating his second title in a row.
However, the Red Bull Racing driver will begin the race in eighth place. Leclerc sits on pole, with Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton starting in second and third, respectively.
Verstappen has proved throughout the season that he can win from deeper starting positions.
Passing on the Marina Bay Street Circuit is tougher than it is at other tracks, though. The top six drivers on the starting grid finished in the top six places in the last two trips to Singapore in 2018 and 2019.
That could be a promising sign for Leclerc, Hamilton and others as they try to end Verstappen's five-race winning streak.
Singapore Grand Prix Odds
Charles Leclerc (+155; bet $100 to win $155)
Max Verstappen (+180)
Lewis Hamilton (+280)
Sergio Perez (+1300)
Carlos Sainz (+1700)
George Russell (+4500)
Fernando Alonso (+9000)
Lando Norris (+20000)
Pierre Gasly (+60000)
All other drivers (+100000)
Max Verstappen Starts from 8th Place
Max Verstappen did not match the laps of Charles Leclerc and his teammate Sergio Perez during the final round of qualifying on Saturday.
Verstappen has never won in Singapore, and Red Bull as a team has not triumphed there since 2013.
But there is hope that Verstappen's strong driving skills and Red Bull's strategy can make up the difference on a circuit that is hard to pass on. The last two race winners in 2018 and 2019 started in the top three.
Verstappen won two of his last three races from deeper on the grid. He won the Italian Grand Prix from a seventh-place start and the Belgian Grand Prix from 14th place.
Those two finishes have to give Red Bull hope that Verstappen can somehow work his way up from eighth place throughout the race. The deeper starting position puts more focus on his start on Sunday, where he could gain a place or two.
Verstappen could still end up on the podium and be satisfied with his result, but that is a difficult feat to achieve on the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Verstappen was the only driver in the last two trips to Singapore to start outside the top three and finish on the podium. He went from fourth to third in 2019. Earning a podium from eighth will be as difficult of a task as Verstappen has faced this season.
Ferrari-Red Bull Showdown Still Happening At Front
Ferrari owns a two-to-one advantage at the front of the Singapore Grand Prix grid over Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc earned his ninth pole of the season on Saturday, and he needs a strong start to maintain or extend his advantage over Sergio Perez.
Perez will be Red Bull's main focus early on in the race, and he can hold up the chasing pack to benefit Verstappen. He starts next to Leclerc and could end up in the lead with an impressive run off the grid.
Ferrari also has Carlos Sainz starting on the first two rows in fourth place. He will begin the race next to Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari has three podium finishes in the last five races, which becomes less impressive when considering Red Bull's consistency.
Red Bull has had Verstappen on the podium in all but two races, and Perez owns seven podium finishes of his own.
Leclerc, Sainz and Perez are the only other three drivers on the Formula One circuit with a win this season.
Ferrari needs a good race to inch away from Mercedes in the race for second in the constructors' championship. The Italian team holds a 406-371 lead over Mercedes. A gap could open up with George Russell's Mercedes starting back in 11th.
Can AlphaTauri Surprise With Double Podium Finish?
The AlphaTauri duo of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda have not finished in the top 10 together at any race in 2022.
Gasly and Tsunoda were one of three pairs of teammates to make it into the final round of qualifying on Saturday. Gasly starts seventh on the grid, and Tsunoda resides in 10th place.
The difficulty of passing in Singapore could help the AlphaTauri cars remain inside the points places for most of the race.
Gasly finished eighth at the Italian Grand Prix, the last race before Singapore, and he has landed in the top 12 in each of the last five races.
The Frenchman's consistency and high starting spot should allow him to land another points finish.
Tsunoda comes with more concerns since he has Russell's Mercedes behind him on the grid, and he has not finished inside the top 10 in any of the last 10 races.
AlphaTauri could use a strong day out of both drivers to make a move in the constructors' championship.
AlphaTauri is eighth with 33 points, but it is one point back of Haas and 19 adrift of Alfa Romeo. Only Haas' Kevin Magnussen will start in the top 10 from those two teams.
Most of the focus will be on the battle up front, but some vital points could be earned by the AlphaTauri duo on Sunday.
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