Red Bull’s Sergio Perez Vies Victory in the Rain‑Queen
After a dramatic night at Marina Bay, Sergio Perez pulled a clutch win for Red Bull in the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix. Starting from the front row behind Charles Leclerc, he overhauled the Ferrari and never looked back – though a possible safety‑car snag could still put the result under review.
Key Take‑aways
- First Singapore win: If the investigation clears him, Perez will brag about his maiden victory in Singapore, joining the list of rare winners that includes Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.
- Back‑to‑Back triumphs: The Mexican crowned a second win of the season, courtesy of a flawless finish in Monaco earlier that year.
- Podium picture: Leclerc and Carlos Sainz sat on the next two spots, while championship leader Max Verstappen, who started eighth, slipped into seventh place.
- Rain‑seared delays: The start was pushed to 9:05 pm after a storm caused a 60‑minute hold‑up.
- Safety car drama: Six cars – including Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Zhou Guanyu, Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi – retired because of incidents that capped the race just shy of its full 61 laps.
- Grandstand buzz: Roughly 302,000 spectators filled the circuit, while the cars rattled under the music of Green Day, Westlife and Marshmello.
Post‑Race Confession
When asked if he’d been careful enough to avoid a safety‑car mishap, Perez shrugged: “I had no idea what they were talking about – I was just told to make the gap wider. All in all, it was a fantastic day.”
Leclerc’s Perspective
Leclerc reflected on his own night: “I gave it everything, but the bad start gave the Red Bulls an advantage. I had a bit of wheelspin. A tough race, but now it’s time to sleep and pre‑p for Japan.”
What the Weekend’s Numbers Say
100 % of the 302,000 fans that turned up were wowed by a trio of musical acts, with Green Day and Westlife providing vocal variety and Marshmello tossing in electronic twists. Over 75 performances spanned eight stages around the circuit park.
When the 2020‑21 holiday cancelled the event during the pandemic, 2019 marked a return to the Marina Bay venue – a triumph again for Sebastian Vettel, who also finished on the podium in 2013, the last Red Bull driver to win here.
