SINGAPORE: Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix for the first time in his career on Sunday, capping a dominant weekend in which the Red Bull driver also won the sprint race and secured pole position for both events.
The four-time world champion finished 7.335 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc after 62 laps at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Mercedes driver and championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the podium in third place.
The victory ended Verstappen’s long wait for success in Singapore, where he had failed to win or secure pole position in nine previous attempts dating back to his debut with Toro Rosso in 2015.
The Dutchman also celebrated his second consecutive Grand Prix victory after triumphing in Malaysia seven days earlier, marking his first win of the 2026 season.
“It has taken a while but I think this race was very good,” Verstappen said after securing victory on his 250th Grand Prix start.
“We had pace when we needed to have it on the soft tyre and the medium. So of course very happy to win here,” he added.
Verstappen praised his team’s recent progress and said the positive results had strengthened motivation within Red Bull.
“I think the last few races have been really positive for us, we have a lot of motivation in the team to try and deliver even more results. Hopefully we can have a bit more fun until the end of the year,” he said.
Antonelli Extends Championship Lead
Antonelli’s third-place finish strengthened his position at the top of the drivers’ championship. According to the race report, he extended his advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell to 102 points.
The Italian described the race as demanding but welcomed another podium finish.
“It was a very tough race out there, but really happy with a podium in the end,” Antonelli said.
Russell, who started from the back of the grid because of engine penalties, recovered to finish ninth.
Ferrari’s Leclerc secured second place but was unable to challenge Verstappen for victory in the closing stages.
“We were quite strong at the beginning of the race, then we started degrading,” Leclerc said, referring to the performance of his tyres.
“We did a different strategy to Max, I gave it my all and I don’t regret anything. I don’t think there was much more to do today,” he added.
Hamilton’s Tyre Strategy Costs Him a Podium
Lewis Hamilton endured a frustrating race after a tyre strategy decision undermined his chances of finishing on the podium.
Starting third on the grid, the seven-time world champion dropped to sixth despite initially holding position among the leading drivers.
Hamilton was the only front-runner to begin the race on medium tyres, a slower compound than the soft tyres used by his main rivals. He made his first pit stop on lap 19, switching to fresh soft tyres.
Verstappen delayed his first stop until lap 32, but the order among the leading six drivers remained unchanged once everyone had completed their initial pit stops.
A virtual safety car was later deployed after Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin broke down, creating another opportunity for teams to adjust their strategies.
Antonelli and Leclerc made second stops under the virtual safety car, while Hamilton remained on much older tyres despite being called into the pits by Ferrari.
The decision proved costly as his rivals closed in during the final laps.
Leclerc quickly passed his teammate to take second place, while Hamilton continued to lose ground as his tyres deteriorated.
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Norris and Piastri Finish in Top Five
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished fourth and fifth respectively, ahead of Hamilton.
Norris attempted to overtake Hamilton at the start of lap 55 but lost position to Antonelli during the ensuing battle. The Mercedes driver then overtook Leclerc to move into third place.
Norris eventually passed Hamilton on the following lap, with Piastri also moving ahead of the struggling Ferrari driver.
Hamilton accepted responsibility for the outcome in a message over team radio.
“Sorry boys. I let you down today with that strategy,” he said.
“My call, and I lost us valuable points. I’ll try and make up for it in the next one,” he added.
The result highlighted the importance of tyre management and strategic decisions on Singapore’s demanding street circuit, where overtaking opportunities can be limited and mistakes can have significant consequences.
Lawson and Hulkenberg Complete the Points Finishers
Liam Lawson finished seventh for Racing Bulls, while Nico Hulkenberg secured eighth place for Audi.
Russell recovered from his grid penalty to take ninth for Mercedes, while Isack Hadjar completed the top 10 in the second Red Bull after starting from the pit lane.
The race provided another boost for Verstappen and Red Bull following their recent improvement in form. For Antonelli, the podium represented another valuable result in his championship campaign, while Ferrari were left to reflect on a strategy that cost Hamilton a potential podium finish.
Verstappen’s first Singapore Grand Prix victory was the standout result of the weekend, completing a clean sweep of the sprint, qualifying and Sunday’s main race.
