How 301 meters shattered Ferrari’s F1 championship dreams: Singapore 2017. Relive the dramatic 2017 Singapore Grand Prix.

As the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix approaches this weekend, it’s worth revisiting one of the most dramatic editions in F1 history: the 2017 race at Marina Bay.

The story

By the fourteenth round of the season, the World Championship had fans glued to their screens. The battle for the Drivers’ Championship between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel was more thrilling than ever, with just a three-point gap separating the two rivals.

The entire F1 paddock was filled with a sense of anticipation: the Marina Bay weekend promised potential surprises. Yet, no one could have imagined what would actually unfold.

A night to forget

Expectations favored Ferrari slightly over Mercedes, thanks to the higher downforce of the SF70H and the track layout, though Red Bull was always a potential threat. Qualifying confirmed these predictions: Sebastian Vettel secured pole position for the Scuderia, ahead of the two Red Bull cars of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Behind them were Kimi Räikkönen and the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

This scenario seemed perfect for Vettel, regarded as Schumacher’s heir, who was aiming to win a championship in the iconic red suit of Ferrari.

Yet, destiny had other plans. On race day, rain fell on the Singapore circuit. At the wet start, Max Verstappen found himself “sandwiched” between the two Ferraris, forcing both cars – along with himself – into retirement.

Those 301 meters from the starting grid to Turn 1 proved fatal for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton went on to win the race, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas. Following this result, the Briton extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship (+28 points over Vettel), and Mercedes overtook Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings (+102 points), effectively sealing their dominance.

The lesson

In essence, the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix remains one of the clearest examples in Formula 1 of how every single moment can make a decisive difference. After all, it was certainly not the first time that a championship covering over 6,000 kilometers was decided by just a few meters—but that is another story in the annals of Formula 1.