Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dissected the chaotic start to the Singapore Grand Prix, where Leclerc’s launch was strongest yet he couldn’t overtake his rival.
Even though Leclerc began on the usually dustier side—still relatively clean after yesterday’s rain—he had his front axle nearly level with Verstappen’s within moments.
The four‑time champion then nudged Verstappen toward the inside, briefly crossing the white line, while Leclerc braked a heartbeat earlier, allowing the Dutch driver to hold the outside line and the lead.
“You have barely any time to think then,” Leclerc said. “I saw Max struggle off the line, I got a good start and moved alongside, but space vanished fast. I’d have done the same thing again.”
“It gets tricky. I was on the left, slightly behind, couldn’t see the right‑hand panels, so my reference points vanished. I judged as best I could, yet Max kept first place.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
That razor‑sharp yet clean move set the tone for Verstappen’s win. In my view, his willingness to block Leclerc was the decisive factor.
“Luckily he’s very seasoned, so we kept it tidy. It felt good, really. Picking the perfect braking point is tough, but it worked out nicely,” the Dutchman added.
Verstappen also admitted a technical glitch at lights‑out, which hampered his getaway.
“The start was crucial, and it was just enough,” he noted. “Something felt off before the clutch release, but it sufficed.”
Pressed on the issue after a shaky sprint start, he said, “I must pinpoint the engine’s behavior before the clutch dropped; it likely hurt my launch. I need answers because it wasn’t ideal.”
Verstappen eventually finished seven seconds ahead, and Leclerc conceded he couldn’t realistically challenge for the win: “They simply had too much pace for us.”
Still, finishing second equals Leclerc’s joint‑second‑best result of the season—far from a disastrous outing.
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– The Team