“Unfinished business” for Max Verstappen – Has Red Bull finally fixed its Singapore weakness?

Max Verstappen has long struggled with Singapore street circuit, despite Red Bull consistently being competitive at other tracks in the recent F1 season. Verstappen has failed to secure a win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore in the last ten attempts, with four podium finishes to his name. In 2022, Verstappen could have secured his first victory in Singapore but had to abandon his final qualifying run due to a fuel calculation error by Red Bull.

Team Penske and Chevrolet have announced a multi-year extension to their partnership with IndyCar, while McLaren aims to address Lando Norris' costly fuel system issue with Singapore F1 power unit fixes. Lewis Hamilton has noted that younger F1 drivers are becoming increasingly cautious when racing in rain. Ford is ramping up preparations for its WEC Hypercar push, having just completed a second test car.

Audi F1 drivers have revealed that the biggest limitation for their team is their inability to effectively handle low-speed corners and bumps, known as kerbs. Verstappen agrees, stating that Red Bull's car struggles with these elements, contributing to their failure to win at Singapore. He believes that the 2023 car may be more competitive in low-speed corners but still faces limitations on bumps and kerbs.

Red Bull's recent success at Baku and Malaysia suggests optimism for the upcoming Singapore race. The team's major upgrade package introduced in Baku appears to be effective, although its impact may vary on different circuits. Verstappen's teammate, Isa Jhadjar, remains confident that Red Bull can overcome its Singapore curse this year, highlighting the RB22's strong performance in sectors 1 and 2 of the track during recent races.