Verstappen wins Singapore GP in his 250th F1 start
Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix in his 250th Formula 1 start, leading the race from start to finish for Red Bull. It was his 73rd career victory and his first Grand Prix win at Marina Bay. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second, 7.335 s behind, and Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli completed the podium. Third place extended Antonelli's championship lead.
From pole to the first corner
Verstappen started from pole position, which he secured a few hours after winning the rain-affected sprint. It was his first pole position at Marina Bay. The 62-lap race was held in heat and high humidity under artificial lighting.
A one-stop race was expected, and the field split evenly between soft and medium tires. Verstappen started on softs, while Lewis Hamilton, third on the grid, started on mediums. Leclerc made a good start from second, but Verstappen moved across toward him and kept the lead through the first corner.
Ferrari initially stayed right behind the Red Bull. Leclerc ran 0.6 s behind the leader, which gave him Overtake Mode. At the start of lap 7 the gap began to grow again. After just over 10 laps it was 0.8 s, and on lap 15 it reached 2.6 s.
On the opening lap Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri ran close together, but this time they avoided the kind of collision they had in the sprint.
Pit stops and Red Bull's radio problems
"If we can continue to eke this out, it will only help our cause," Verstappen was told over the radio. The mid-race pit stop phase changed nothing at the front. Verstappen made a smooth switch from softs to mediums and stayed in the lead.
Red Bull had radio problems during the race and had to communicate with Verstappen using the pit board. He crossed the line in 1:42:00.785 and scored 25 points.
Virtual safety car and a fire in Bortoleto's Audi
The virtual safety car (VSC) was deployed when Gabriel Bortoleto went off near the pit exit. His Audi had a suspected gearbox failure. The VSC ended once the car had been pushed into the pit lane.
Shortly afterward, Bortoleto's Audi caught fire. Marshals put out the flames, and the pit entry was briefly closed. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll also retired, probably with a clutch problem, and Alpine's Franco Colapinto stopped with a powertrain failure. Alex Albon retired in the closing stages but was classified 18th.
Ferrari strategy and sixth place for Hamilton
"I think Plan C and opposite to Red Bull," Leclerc said over the radio. Hamilton was told he needed to go faster for Plan C. He replied that he had nothing left, and was then told that Plan B might be better.
Hamilton pitted on lap 19 and rejoined seventh on fresh softs, behind Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson. He passed Lawson on lap 21 and ran third for most of the race, but Antonelli, Norris and Piastri eventually got by. Hamilton finished sixth and apologized for the strategy.
Leclerc held on to second place and set the fastest lap of the race. Norris finished fourth, 40.506 s behind the winner, and Piastri fifth, 49.644 s behind.
Russell and Hadjar recover
George Russell dropped to 19th on the grid because of an engine penalty. He was 15th by lap 5 and 12th by lap 15. He then went down the inside of Esteban Ocon into Turn 16 to take 11th place, and finished ninth.
Isack Hadjar was eliminated in Q1 with car problems. After taking additional power unit elements, he started from the pit lane. Late in the race he passed Pierre Gasly to take the final point for 10th place. Lawson finished seventh and Audi's Nico Hülkenberg eighth.
Antonelli's championship lead
Before the start, Mercedes mechanics worked on the brakes of Antonelli's car, which was fourth on the grid. The problem appeared to be resolved before the lights went out. During the race Norris complained about Antonelli going off track, and the team told Antonelli he had two track limits violations at Turn 2. On lap 24 he pitted for mediums and rejoined in sixth place.
Third place, 24.573 s behind the winner, earned Antonelli 15 points. He now has 340 points and leads the standings by 102 over Russell, who has 238. Verstappen collected the full 33 points available from the sprint and the race in Singapore. It was his second consecutive Grand Prix victory.
The next round is the United States Grand Prix in Austin, where Antonelli can clinch the world championship title.