Max Verstappen takes his maiden Singapore Grand Prix win as Kimi Antonelli edges closer to the championship
Max Verstappen took his maiden Singapore Grand Prix victory ahead of Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli in a hazy Sunday night showdown on the streets of Singapore.
The victory came on Verstappen's 250th Grand Prix start, while Antonelli strengthened his grip on the Drivers' Championship and Lewis Hamilton could only manage sixth after Ferrari's decision to keep him out during a Virtual Safety Car period left him nursing his soft tyres for 43 laps.
The 62-lap race at Marina Bay Street Circuit delivered a strategic battle under the lights, with Verstappen converting pole position into victory while Ferrari's gamble with Hamilton's tyres failed to pay off.
Verstappen finally conquers Marina Bay
Verstappen's victory marks his first Singapore Grand Prix win, adding a victory on one of Formula 1's most demanding street circuits to his list of career achievements.
The Red Bull driver started from pole after edging Leclerc by just 0.054 seconds in qualifying. He then controlled Sunday's race to cross the finish line in first place, 7.3 seconds ahead of the Ferrari driver.
Leclerc finished second, his fourth podium of the year, while Antonelli claimed the final podium position for Mercedes, crossing the line nearly 25 seconds behind the winner.
The result capped a strong weekend for Verstappen, who had also won Saturday's rain-affected Sprint. It was a clean sweep of the weekend's two races, with the Dutchman demonstrating his pace in both wet and dry conditions.
The victory was a long time coming. Verstappen secured his maiden Singapore Grand Prix win on his 10th attempt, having previously recorded four podium finishes at Marina Bay, including consecutive second-place finishes in 2024 and 2025.
Hamilton's strategy gamble loses out
Hamilton apologised after the race for making some of the strategy calls that led to him tumbling down the order in the closing stages of the race due to worn tyres.
The Briton managed his soft tyres for an extraordinary 43 laps, after an early stop swapped out the medium tyres that he started the race on. Ferrari seemed on course for a two-stop strategy, however, this was overruled by Hamilton, who made the decision to hang on to the same set of softs to the end instead.
Ultimately, the pace drop-off of his old tyres was simply too much to keep the charging trio of Antonelli, Norris, and Piastri behind in the final laps of the race. Hamilton finished sixth in the end.
Three drivers retire with car issues
The Singapore Grand Prix also ended prematurely for three drivers, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Lance Stroll, and Franco Colapinto all retiring.
Bortoleto's Audi stopped after seven laps, making him the earliest of the three to retire. Colapinto's Alpine lasted 29 laps, while Stroll's Aston Martin completed 36 laps before his race came to an end.
Antonelli strengthens his championship lead
Kimi Antonelli's third-place finish was particularly significant for his championship fight. The Mercedes driver remains at the top of the Drivers' Championship standings with 340 points, ahead of teammate George Russell on 238.
With his 102-point advantage over his closest championship rival, Antonelli could clinch the Drivers' Championship from as early as the next race, the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
The Sprint set the stage for Verstappen's Grand Prix win
Verstappen's victory on Sunday followed a dramatic Sprint on Saturday, which was delayed by heavy rain and featured several incidents.
A pre-race downpour left parts of the Marina Bay circuit soaked, while other sections were merely damp. The 20-lap shootout began around 30 minutes later than originally scheduled, with all drivers starting on intermediate tyres.
Mercedes' George Russell initially took the lead after a strong getaway, passing polesitter Verstappen in the slippery conditions. His advantage proved short-lived, however, as he crashed at the final corner on the opening lap, gifting Verstappen the lead back.
The Red Bull driver then managed his intermediate tyres as the track gradually dried, keeping his rivals at bay to take the Sprint victory. Hamilton finished second for Ferrari with Leclerc third and Antonelli fourth.
The Sprint also produced a dramatic collision on the last lap between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Their battle ended in contact at Turn 5, sending both drivers into a spin and reshuffling the order. Norris eventually finished eighth, while Piastri was classified 14th after retiring.
For Verstappen, the win in Singapore finally clears the air at Marina Bay, while Antonelli's championship hopes continue to gather momentum.
Formula 1 next heads to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, from 23 to 25 October.
[All images courtesy of Tan Jun Da.]
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