Red Bull's Perez wins rain-hit Singapore Grand Prix

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez won the rain-hit 2022 Singapore Grand Prix in Formula One on Sunday.

The start of round 17 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit was delayed due to rain and a wet track.

Mexican driver Perez saw the chequered flag first in Singapore with a time of two hours, two minutes and 15.238 seconds.

This was Perez's second win in the 2022 season after a previous victory in Monaco in May.

In Sunday's competition, Perez was followed by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as the Ferrari drivers finished 2-3 in Marina Bay.

Runner-up Leclerc was 7.595 seconds behind Perez, while the Monegasque racer's teammate Sainz of Spain came third.

The Dutch racer of Red Bull Racing and this season's leader, Max Verstappen, finished the race in the seventh spot to delay his possible early coronation.

In the 2022 campaign, Verstappen won 11 of 17 Grands Prix but frustrated his fans on Sunday.

Verstappen has 341 points to lead the 2022 driver standings.

Leclerc, who holds the second position, has 237 points.

Sunday's winner Perez is third with 235 points, narrowing the gap against Leclerc.

The round 18 race will be held in Japan on Oct. 9.

This year's 22-round Formula One World Championship will end in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 20.

- 6 drivers out of Singapore GP

During Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix, six drivers had to exit the race for crashes and engine problems.

Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN's Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou was out after a contact with Williams Racing's Nicholas Latifi on lap seven.

Latifi entered the pit stop with a puncture and then, the Canadian racer quit the contest.

The Formula One Safety Car was deployed after the contact.

On lap 22, BWT Alpine F1 Team's seasoned driver Fernando Alonso stopped on the track and had to leave his 350th Grand Prix after reporting an engine problem.

Alexander Albon, with Williams Racing, bumped into the barriers to exit the race on lap 26. Another driver of that team, Esteban Ocon also did not go on after a separate engine issue.

Additionally, Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda crashed into the barriers on lap 36. He was out, as well.