Verstappen claims first Singapore Grand Prix win as Antonelli steps closer to title

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed his first-ever race win at the Singapore Grand Prix, producing a perfect weekend for the four-time world champion. 

Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool

Singapore has provided Red Bull’s most successful driver, Verstappen, with a perfect weekend. The four-time world champion claimed both the sprint and grand prix pole positions, before following up both sessions with two successive race wins. 

Although, it was not a straight forward race for Verstappen as the race winner suffered communication trouble during the race, unable to speak to his pit wall.

However, the win marks the second consecutive race victory of the season for the Dutch world champion, following the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia last time out. 

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top three, in second and third, providing the latter with a chance to secure the drivers world title in Austin, at the next race. 

Race results: Singapore Grand Prix

How the race unfolded

It was an even start from the front runners, with Verstappen retaining his lead into the opening corner ahead of Leclerc, Hamilton and Antonelli, who remained second, third and fourth respectively.  However, after the opening lap, the top four kept the multiple world champion honest, only half a second behind. 

On lap seven, Verstappen slowly edged out his lead to just over a second on Leclerc, taking the Monegasque out of overtake range. 

A lap later, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto parked the car at the end of the pit lane, pulling off the track and onto the pit exit. It was believed he lost the gearbox going onto the pit straight. The Virtual Safety Car was deployed. 

During the brief VSC period, which returned the track to green shortly after it was brought out, no one came into the pits with the risk of the pit exit being closed as a result. 

Whilst the race was under racing conditions, the pit entry was closed from the competitors as a result of Bortoleto’s Audi needing some attention as the fire marshals started fighting a fire that broke out on the Brazilian’s car. However, it was quickly reopened. 

Of the front runners, Hamilton was the first to pull the trigger – after complaining that he was driving at his fastest pace – pulling into the pits on lap 19 to swap his worn mediums for the soft tyres. However, no one else followed him into the pits. 

At the end of lap 23, Antonelli finally boxed, but could not beat the seven-time world champion out of the pits. Leclerc reacted to the Italian, and boxed at the end of the following lap, returning to the circuit in fourth – just ahead of Hamilton. 

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Hamilton, on the faster tyre, complained that he had lost two seconds being stuck behind his teammate in a bid to charge ahead. However, the Monegasque – at the end of lap 27 – went on to set the fastest lap of the race. 

On lap 31, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto became the second retirement of the race. The Argentine stopped out on track at turn eight before he got going again, heading down an access road. 

A lap later, Verstappen finally peeled into the pit lane to change his worn softs for the mediums, as Norris followed the four-time world champion into the pits. However, the Red Bull driver did not lose track position as he returned to the circuit. 

Shortly after, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri pulled into the pit lane himself, allowing both Ferraris to reoccupy their previous positions of second and third, with Leclerc and Hamilton, respectively. The Monegasque found himself 4.7 seconds behind the race leading multiple world champion, yet 1.9 seconds ahead of Hamilton. 

On lap 39, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll became the third retirement of the race as he locked up into turn 14. As the Canadian continued, he pulled his Aston Martin to the side of the track, prompting a second VSC. 

Verstappen and Hamilton stayed out, remaining first for the Dutchman and going second for the Ferrari. However, Leclerc and Antonelli quickly pulled into the pit lane to discard their medium compound tyres, dropping to third and fifth, respectively. 

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Russell also pulled into the pit lane, on lap 40, just as the VSC was ending. The Briton swapped his mediums for a set of the soft compounds, suffering half the pain as the session returned to green as he had his tyres changed. 

Antonelli, having complained for a number of laps something at his feet, claimed he had a brake issue with the pedal going long and going straight out on track. Mercedes claimed they were investigating. 

In the space of a lap, Hamilton dropped out of podium contention as Antonelli and Norris zipped by. The Italian – taking advantage from Norris and Hamilton’s turn one tussle – zipped by on the run to the final chicane, whilst Norris overtook Hamilton on the run to turn seven.

At the chequered flag, Verstappen went on to secure his first win at the Singapore GP with Leclerc and Antonelli wrapping up the podium. The Italian once more steps closer to securing his maiden world championship. 

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.