Max Verstappen continued his impressive late-season resurgence by securing his first Singapore Grand Prix victory, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli strengthened his grip on the Formula 1 drivers’ championship with a third-place finish.
The Red Bull driver controlled the race from start to finish after holding off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the opening corner, completing a dominant week that also included victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix and success in Saturday’s sprint race in Singapore.
Leclerc finished second, while Antonelli claimed the final podium position to extend his championship lead to 102 points with six races remaining in the season.
The result also strengthened Verstappen and Red Bull’s resurgence after their maiden victory of the year in Malaysia last weekend, suggesting the team could play a significant role in the closing stages of the championship.
Verstappen Holds Off Leclerc to Secure Singapore Victory
Verstappen knew that getting ahead of Leclerc at the first corner would be crucial at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where overtaking opportunities are limited.
However, Leclerc made the stronger start and challenged the four-time world champion down the inside as they approached Turn One.
Verstappen defended aggressively, squeezing the Ferrari towards the pit wall before Leclerc eventually backed off, allowing the Red Bull driver to take control of the corner.
The leading trio of Verstappen, Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ran closely together during the opening four laps before Hamilton began losing ground.
Leclerc remained within a second of Verstappen for several more laps, but the Red Bull driver gradually increased his advantage and established control of the race.
From that point, Verstappen maintained his pace and avoided any serious challenge for the lead, crossing the finish line ahead of Leclerc to claim his first victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s recent performances, Verstappen said: “I think the last few races have been really positive for us and it is just great to see and we have a lot of motivation in the team to try and deliver even more results.
“It is a really good group of people – I really enjoy working with them and hopefully we can have a bit more fun until the end of the year.”
The victory continued a strong run of form for Verstappen, who appeared increasingly competitive as the season approached its final races.
Ferrari Strategy Leaves Hamilton Frustrated
Ferrari endured a complicated afternoon, with its tyre strategy becoming one of the biggest talking points of the race.
Hamilton started on medium tyres while Verstappen and Leclerc opted for soft compounds. Despite the expected durability advantage of his starting tyres, Hamilton pitted on lap 18 to switch to softs.
Leclerc remained on his original tyres until lap 24 before changing to mediums, emerging just ahead of Hamilton, who had the potential to use his softer rubber to challenge his team-mate.
Ferrari chose not to instruct Leclerc to allow Hamilton through, despite the Briton’s concerns about the decision.
The situation became more complicated when a virtual safety car was deployed on lap 39. Leclerc and Antonelli took advantage of the reduced pit-stop time to change tyres, but Hamilton remained on track.
The decision temporarily promoted Hamilton to second place behind Verstappen, although his ageing tyres left him vulnerable during the closing stages.
Ferrari subsequently informed Hamilton that he needed another pit stop to reach the finish safely. Hamilton questioned the instruction and attempted to convince the team that he could complete the race on his existing tyres.
Leclerc eventually overtook Hamilton on lap 46 and began chasing Verstappen, but the Ferrari driver could not close the gap to less than 7.3 seconds.
Hamilton’s gamble ultimately cost him several positions. As his tyres deteriorated, Lando Norris and Antonelli passed him during the closing laps, while Oscar Piastri completed the move on the final lap.
Hamilton finished sixth and apologised over the team radio during the slowing-down lap after deciding against making another pit stop.
Antonelli Closes in on Formula 1 Championship
Antonelli’s third-place finish represented another significant step towards his first world championship.
The Mercedes driver started fourth and remained close to the Ferraris throughout the race before capitalising on Hamilton’s tyre difficulties to secure a podium finish.
His championship advantage now stands at 102 points, with a maximum of 150 points available across the six remaining races.
That margin means Antonelli could mathematically secure the title at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, scheduled for 23-25 October.
To become champion at the next round, the Italian would need to win the race, with Mercedes team-mate George Russell finishing ninth or lower and Hamilton finishing fifth or lower.
When informed about the possibility immediately after the race, Antonelli appeared surprised.
“Can I? Really? Let’s not worry about that, let’s try to do the best weekend possible and finish the job,” he said.
Russell endured a more difficult afternoon after starting 19th. The Mercedes driver fought his way through the field but could manage only ninth place, finishing behind Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar completed the top 10 after starting from the back of the grid, securing the final championship point.
Singapore Grand Prix Results
- Max Verstappen — Red Bull
- Charles Leclerc — Ferrari
- Kimi Antonelli — Mercedes
- Lando Norris — McLaren
- Oscar Piastri — McLaren
- Lewis Hamilton — Ferrari
- Liam Lawson — Racing Bulls
- Nico Hulkenberg — Audi
- George Russell — Mercedes
- Isack Hadjar — Red Bull
United States Grand Prix Next for Formula 1
Attention now turns to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix from 23-25 October.
Antonelli will arrive with a commanding championship advantage and the opportunity to take another major step towards the title, while Russell will look to recover after his difficult weekend in Singapore.
Verstappen’s consecutive victories have also added fresh intrigue to the closing stages of the season, with Red Bull appearing increasingly capable of challenging at the front.
Ferrari, meanwhile, will need to review its strategic decisions after Hamilton’s tyre gamble and the team’s handling of the battle between its two drivers overshadowed an otherwise competitive performance.
