Landmark F1 race dominates best grand prix of 2023

max verstappen, carlos sainz, sergio perez — Photo: © LAT Images

GPFans F1 Awards

Landmark F1 race dominates best grand prix of 2023

Thrilling grand prix right up until its conclusion

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Monday 1 January 2024 20:57

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Despite there being 22 races only three drivers walked away from the F1 podium in 2023 as a grand prix winner.

Of course most of the time it was Max Verstappen and Red Bull, with the Dutchman claiming 19 victories and his team-mate Sergio Perez adding two more triumphs.

But neither won the most popular race during the season with Carlos Sainz's victory for Ferrari at the Singapore Grand Prix emerging as the best in GPFans' annual awards.

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The award, which consists of votes cast by GPFans' readers, was dominated by the night race at Marina Bay on the rare off-weekend endured by the Red Bull team.

Sainz held off a challenge from McLaren's Lando Norris who finished second, while Lewis Hamilton was third for Mercedes, grabbing a late podium after his team-mate George Russell crashed out with just a couple of laps remaining as the Silver Arrows pushed for a late chance of victory.

With Verstappen finishing fifth and Perez in eighth it was by far Red Bull's worst race of the campaign, and supporters appeared to relish in a rare change of scenery on the podium.

Carlos Sainz (centre) took a very popular win for Ferrari at the Singapore Grand Prix

Ferrari's win was the only non-Red Bull triumph of the season

Max Verstappen and Red Bull endured a rare struggle at the Singapore Grand Prix

Dutch delight distant second

The Singapore Grand Prix took just over half of the votes, leaving Verstappen's triumph at his home race in Zandvoort trailing a distant second on 17 per cent.

With 10 per cent of the vote, the British and Italian grands prix were neck and neck for third, while the three-way fight between Verstappen, Perez and Charles Leclerc in Las Vegas collected just five per cent of the vote.

Propping up the votes with three per cent were the chaotic Australian Grand Prix and Perez's final victory of the season in Azerbaijan.