The Formula 1 season could already be decided on Sunday. While defending champion Max Verstappen is about to win the world championship again, many of his colleagues are also concerned with the enormous heat before qualifying (3 p.m. / Sky).
Record hunter
Max Verstappen can not only become world champion for the second time on the Marina Bay Street Circuit. By the end of the season, the 25-year-old Dutchman can also break a number of records in his Red Bull. Among other things, the records for the most victories in a season and the most triumphs in a row are possible. Publicly, however, the dominator is not interested in the possible early title coup or any records. "I just want to show a good race weekend," said Verstappen, who celebrated his birthday in Asia on Friday.
heat battle
The hours in the car demand everything from the stars. "It's like a mild sauna. It really feels like that," said Finn Valtteri Bottas about the extreme climatic conditions. Temperatures of 30 degrees at night and extremely high humidity of 80 percent and more drive sweat out of the pores. In the race, the pilots lose up to three kilograms of weight just through their sweat. "If you survive Singapore, you're ready for anything in Formula 1," said Ferrari star Carlos Sainz.
Record man
Fernando Alonso becomes the driver with the most starts in Formula 1 history on Sunday. The two-time world champion from Spain climbs into the cockpit for the 350th time, overtaking Kimi Raikkonen of Finland (349). There is no end in sight for the 41-year-old Alonso. In the coming year, the old master will drive at Aston Martin, replacing Sebastian Vettel, who is retiring from the racing series. This season he is still behind the wheel of the French Renault successor team Alpine.
Application trips
There are still three places behind the wheel to be allocated for the coming season. From a German perspective, the situation at the US racing team Haas is the most exciting. Mick Schumacher continues to fight for a contract extension and has to prove himself in the next races. But he gets competition from compatriot Nico Hülkenberg, as several media reports. It seems possible that the Americans will only make a personnel decision shortly before the end of the season. Renault's successors Alpine and Williams are each still looking for a driver for 2023.
