No one, absolutely no one expected Max Verstappen & Co.’s 308-day-long unbeaten run to come to an end. The sport was almost searching for a messiah to come forth and save them from this robotic, glory-hungry Dutch lion. That being said, there was one man waiting in the wings, patiently, all season long for one sniff at the 2x champion’s throne. At the 2023 Singapore GP, Carlos Sainz Jr. got it. And what he did next was nothing short of sublime genius.

The Ferrari driver drove a masterclass of a Grand Prix as he stormed to the very top step of the podium for only the 2nd time in his F1 career. But what a win it was. Disadvantaged from the late VSC brought on by Esteban Ocon’s Alpine, the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were breathing down his neck. But he held his nerves in the sweltering heat of Marina Bay as he executed a blinder to cross the chequered line first. And just like that, Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s dominant run came to a bitterly abrupt end.

How Carlos Sainz destroyed Red Bull’s dominant run

Verstappen was already on the back foot throughout the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. That being said, it wasn’t a stroll in the park for Carlos Sainz Jr. either. The Spanish racing ace was being hounded by the pair of Hamilton and Russell, and when it seemed like he was helpless, he pulled off a strategic masterclass.

He backed himself into 2nd placed man, and best mate, Lando Norris. That gave Norris some much-needed DRS that helped the Brit keep Russell and Hamilton at bay. But more importantly, as the trio battled behind him, his cunningly hatched plan allowed him to scoot away and secure that victory.

After the race, Sainz beamed, “All of Ferrari and all of Italy will be happy and proud today.”

Read More: “Devastating”: Fans Pour Hearts Out as Russell’s Unlucky Ouster Gifts Hamilton Podium at Singapore GP

Indeed, they will be proud. After all, it was their man who brought Verstappen’s 308 days long streak to an end.

Red Bull cheekily admits devastating defeat to The Smooth Operator

It was through the hands of Carlos Sainz that Max Verstappen tasted defeat. And it would’ve been a bitter pill to swallow for the 2x champion. He was visibly irritated all throughout the weekend, but his Red Bull team tried to dull the pain with an awkward admission of defeat on Twitter.

Today marks the first time in a long, long time that Verstappen won’t feature on an F1 podium and the Milton-Keynes-based outfit came onto their official Twitter account and tweeted, “The Cool-down Room podcast with Max will return at a later date.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Is Carlos Sainz Looking to Move away from Ferrari?

Will this defeat derail whatever is left of Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s 2023 season or will service resume as normal at the Japanese Grand Prix?