International media: 'End to illlusion unbeatable Red Bull'

F1 News

International press happy with new winner: 'This is what F1 can look like'
18 September 2023 at 09:00
Last update 18 September 2023 at 10:02

In the Spanish and Italian media, there was reason enough to rejoice. Spain's Carlos Sainz ensured Ferrari's first win this year with his victory in the Singapore Grand Prix. In doing so, he broke the winning streak of the mighty Red Bull Racing. The newspapers highlight how exciting F1 can be. Foreign media wrote this.

AS

Starting with AS from Spain where Sainz's victory is celebrated, and there is gratitude for Ferrari's strategy. AS writes: "Ferrari's winning strategy: 'It happened exactly according to plan'." The newspaper further writes: "It was decided in the afternoon during the race briefing before the race. Sainz would have the best chance of winning in Singapore, and for that, [Charles] Leclerc would have to be sacrificed."

Leclerc, who started on soft tyres, had to catch George Russell on P2 at the start and give Sainz space. AS: "From there, he [Sainz] was able to control the gaps to his rivals on the track where it is almost impossible to overtake. Team boss Frederic Vasseur's plan worked perfectly. That is why the team celebrated the win so exuberantly."

Gazzetta

For fanatical F1 fans from Italy, it was also a celebration after Ferrari's first win of 2023. The Italian Gazzetta's website says: "A masterpiece by Sainz! With beating Norris and Hamilton, Ferrari returns to victories."

While Charles Leclerc is the number one driver at Ferrari, it was precisely Sainz who helped the Scuderia win again. Nothing but praise for the Spaniard; indeed, Gazzetta writes: "A masterpiece by Ferrari, signed by Carlos Sainz junior! It is Ferrari breaking the series of Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing."

"It was Sainz who took a perfect victory, controlling the race in all phases, while Red Bull was absent [...] The Carlos Sainz of the closing stages of the season is truly a spectacle. Ferrari can finally deservedly get back to the champagne after 26 races, after Austria 2022."

The Guardian

There is particular joy at Britain's The Guardian, as Red Bull and Verstappen's broken win streak brought the excitement back to Formula 1. The newspaper chose the title: "Carlos Sainz wins nail-biting Singapore F1 GP to end Max Verstappen's streak."

The Guardian highlights the value of Sainz's win for the sport: "Were Formula One considering quite what a show it would have without Red Bull’s dominance this season, the Singapore Grand Prix delivered a glimpse of this much-anticipated future, a spectacle beyond even the sport’s most wishful thinking. [...] As Ferrari's Carlos Sainz hung on for a mighty victory, F1 transformed from somewhat dull to sensational."

On Verstappen, the newspaper writes: "It was fitting that the curtain fell on Red Bull's relentless winning streak with a thriller in which the world champion elect Max Verstappen was but a part player."

Bild

Germany's Bild writes: "Verstappen's super series has been torn to pieces." In doing so, the medium writes that the illusion of the unbeatable Red Bull has also disappeared. "After 15 wins in a row, 14 of them this season, Red Bull was defeated in the fifteenth race of the season in Singapore. The dream of an unbeaten season has been shattered."

Calling the loss of Verstappen and Red Bull "the fall of giants", Bild writes: "Red Bull had big problems [...] and they could not make any progress in the race. The fight for the podium was extremely exciting until the end. Just before the finish, Russell, who was in a four-man battle for the win, flew into the wall. That's how exciting Formula 1 can be!"