Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has celebrated Ferrari’s triumph at the Singapore Grand Prix as a “breath of fresh air” for Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz emerged victorious at the Marina Bay Circuit, crossing the finish line ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
This marked the first time in the current season that Red Bull failed to secure a Grand Prix victory, breaking their streak of 15 consecutive wins dating back to the previous season’s finale in Abu Dhabi.
Throughout the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, Red Bull faced significant challenges. Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez failed to progress beyond Q2 in qualifying.
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While both drivers managed to secure points during the race, they were unable to contend for the top spot.
Mercedes adopted an alternative tire strategy in a bid to challenge Ferrari for the win.
However, they couldn’t mount a successful assault on Sainz in the closing laps of the race.
In a dramatic final lap, George Russell made contact with the wall while holding third place, allowing Lewis Hamilton to secure a podium finish.
Despite missing out on the victory, Toto Wolff expressed optimism about the outcome, highlighting the significance of a team other than Red Bull clinching the top spot.
Wolff commented, “I think they [Red Bull] have been so strong, they have won all races this year.
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“We must not forget we have this outlier here in Singapore, which was a difficult track for us in the past in dominant years.
“I have no doubt that they will be strong for the conventional race tracks.
“It’s a breath of fresh air that we have a different winner, we have a podium without them, so you’ve got to take the small positives in a year of Red Bull dominance.”