There was no Safety Car last year and no rain before this race so there was a feeling that anything could happen at this year's race. Somehow Verstappen kept his place at the start despite a formidable challenge from Leclerc. The car floors sparked in the night's darkness as they ran down towards the corners. Russell started from the back of the grid and by the end of lap two, he was in seventeenth place, so it was looking good for him.
After that there wasn't much competition so it was disappointing to be shown a great team mate battle between Bearman and Ocon in the mini-screen rather than full frame.
The Safety Car opportunity came at the end of lap eight when Bortoleto pulled his car over to park it at the end of the pit lane. It was a Virtual Safety Car though and too early to be capitalised on. The teams tried to figure out their next move. Norris talked with his engineer who asked him if he wanted to go with his idea from the briefing, which the driver agreed to. This was much more coded than Ferrari who told Leclerc that they would be going for Plan C with the opposite to Verstappen.
Those first stops came on lap 17 with Hamilton moving from medium to the preferred soft tyre, Leclerc doing the reverse seven laps later. With perfect timing at exactly half way through the race, Colapinto stopped, he drove off the track and into what appeared to be a civilian car park. Norris and Piastri sensed a Safety Car coming and pitted with Piastri getting a delay and slow stop. But Safety Car came.
Meanwhile Antonelli diced with track limits as he often does. The one person who we can rely on to bring drama to a race finally did. Stroll stopped on lap 39, retiring from the race and calling for Virtual Safety Car conditions. Leclerc and Antonelli pitted at the front. Russell came in but of course just missed out on it being a cheap stop because it finished.
McLaren called Piastri in for an unusually early second stop and it seemed like their were losing their strategic nous but it turned out he had a slow puncture. The Aussie has had no luck this year. He and Russell should form a club.
Ferrari were handling strategy in their own special way and there were times when it would have been a good idea to switch the position of their drivers but they waited until lap 46 of 62. Verstappen, whilst seeming to be cruising to an easy victory out front, suddenly had a very slow lap. We couldn't figure it out because his radio transmissions were not broadcasting, to us or to his team.
Towards the end of the race it became do-or-die time. Norris had decided that he was going to get past Hamilton, who was not on good tyres. This was his own call and he apologised for it later. However both drivers went wide and Antonelli got past them both. Norris is now back to self-recrimination. Eventually Norris did get past Hamilton and we were treated to Kim Kardashian's reaction. Bonno was busy telling Antonelli off for exceeding track limits but the race was done. Norris offered to help Piastri get past Hamilton was but was told not to worry, it wouldn't have been any recompense for tipping him out of the Sprint anyway. Piastri managed it himself.
Russell started from the back of the grid and made it to ninth. Hadjar started in the pit lane and made it to tenth. Both were points positions but is it what their team mates would have achieved?
Singapore marks a new milestone in this season of F1; a driver can now secure the championship at the next race. Exciting times and Antonelli did do the usual play of saying they would not think about it but took on the challenge with glee despite looking absolutely exhausted at the end, clutching his water bottle for dear life.
So there we are, a week off for good behaviour and we are on the championship straights. Austin is always amusing and I feel we are heading into Kardashian territory now. Yee ha!
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