Max Verstappen up against it in Singapore after struggling in final practice
Max Verstappen faces a fight to take pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix after calling his Red Bull “unacceptable” in final practice. As Carlos Sainz raced to the top of the time charts at the Marina Bay Circuit, Verstappen finished fourth. The Dutchman is on an unprecedented 10-race winning streak with his Red Bull team unbeaten at the 14 rounds of the season so far. But Verstappen bemoaned the handling of his car in the city-state, describing the upshifts in his Red Bull machinery as “unacceptable”. He added: “These upshifts, what the f***. I am just struggling for rear grip. If I competed in drifting, I might win the race.” Verstappen returned to the track in the closing moments of the one-hour running, ringing the neck of his Red Bull to move from sixth to fourth, 0.313 sec slower than Sainz. But his struggles will give the chasing pack hope of finally stopping Verstappen and Red Bull with Ferrari holding the upper hand heading into qualifying later on Saturday. Sainz and team-mate Charles Leclerc traded top spot in the two practice sessions here on Friday, with the former again fastest in the concluding running before the fight for pole. Leclerc looked set to eclipse Sainz only to make a mistake in the second sector before backing out of his speediest lap, finishing fifth. George Russell took an encouraging second for Mercedes, just 0.069 sec slower than Sainz, with Lando Norris third in his McLaren. Lewis Hamilton was sixth for Mercedes, within half-a-second of Sainz. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez, who won here last year, finished eighth, 0.719 sec back. Qualifying for the 15th round of 22 takes place at 2100 local time (1400 BST). Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen struggles in Singapore practice under the lights On this day in 2021: George Russell joins Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz gets goosebumps after landing pole for Italian Grand Prix
2023-09-16 19:17
How social media in the classroom is burning teachers out
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2023-09-16 18:24
NASA needed help with a mission. The Vatican came to the rescue.
When a NASA robot scooped a cup of gravel from an asteroid 200 million miles
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These candidates in Virginia could shape how both parties talk about abortion in 2024
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2023-09-16 17:15
F1 Singapore Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying updates and FP3 lap times at Marina Bay
Max Verstappen is chasing another victory - what would be his 11th in a row - as Formula 1 returns to Asia for the popular Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Verstappen broke the record for the most consecutive race wins last time out at Monza, overtaking Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to win his 10th race in a row. The Dutchman is cruising to a third-straight F1 world championship and currently has a 145-point lead in the standings to team-mate Sergio Perez, though cannot clinch the title in Singapore. Zhou Guanyu interview: ‘There is a lot of pressure in F1 – only winners stay in this sport’ It was an improved performance from Ferrari in Italy, with Sainz securing his first podium of the year and Charles Leclerc finishing fourth, while the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell followed up their new contracts with sixth and fifth place respectively. Williams’ Alex Albon was a standout once again, finishing seventh. Perez won last year’s wet race under the lights in Singapore - a venue where Verstappen is yet to triumph in his career. Lewis Hamilton is a four-time winner in Marina Bay. Follow live updates from the Singapore Grand Prix with The Independent Read More FIA take action against Helmut Marko after comments about Sergio Perez Zhou Guanyu interview: ‘There is a lot of pressure in F1 – only winners stay in this sport’
2023-09-16 16:59
The Big Climate March Returns in an Era of Soup-Throwing Protests
In September 2019, an estimated 250,000 people took to the streets of New York City. The marchers, who
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Sinner, savior or both?: Trump woos evangelicals, women
Former US president Donald Trump courted evangelical Christians and women at two back-to-back Washington events on Friday -- voting blocks whose loyalties to him once seemed contradictory but have now...
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The Week a Trade Battle Erupted Started With a Ceasefire Plea
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Paige Spiranac reveals inspiration behind her 'non-traditional outfit' for golf: 'Wore what was in my closet'
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Binge-drinking: 'I was stuck in a cycle of self-destruction'
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Venice 'not at risk' after all? UNESCO leaves city off its heritage in danger list
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2023-09-16 13:21
China’s Contagious Crisis, Singapore Fun: Saturday Asia Briefing
With Max Verstappen and Post Malone among the thousands descending on Singapore for its preeminent tourism event, the
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