Simply Lovely: Super Max Storms To Victory At Singapore

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominates the Singapore Grand Prix to take victory ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. 

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

After heading into this weekend with his first victory of the 2026 season, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen continued his winning momentum and will leave Singapore with a clean sweep. The Dutch driver claimed pole position in the sprint, pole position in the Grand Prix, and victories in both races.

Verstappen Soars to Victory

Despite having radio issues where his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, or more commonly known as GP, struggled to hear him, Verstappen led every lap from lights out to the chequered flag to claim his first victory around Singapore.

Verstappen arrived in Singapore in sixth in the Drivers’ Standings, level on points with McLaren’s Lando Norris, but this win moves him to fourth, ahead of Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and only 8 points behind the other Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, in third.

While Leclerc was applying some pressure to Verstappen on the opening laps, as more laps went on, Verstappen’s Red Bull seemed too quick around the Marina Bay circuit for the Monegasque driver, and second was the best Leclerc could achieve.

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

The Fight for Third and Hamilton’s Struggles

Behind, an exciting battle started to form between Hamilton, Norris and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. While Hamilton was on a two-stop strategy, the seven-time world champion opted to stay out and make the one-stop strategy work. However, as Hamilton was the first driver to pull into the pit lane to switch tyres, by the end of the race, he was on much older tyres than the drivers around him, leaving him vulnerable.

As Hamilton started to fall back into the clutches of Norris, who was bringing Antonelli along, a three-way fight for the final step of the podium was on. While Norris tried to get the overtake done on the Ferrari down to Turn 1, the pair both went off track. By the time the McLaren rejoined, Antonelli was side by side and then ahead by the next corner. After passing Norris, up next for the young Italian was Hamilton.

Within a matter of moments, Antonelli got the jump on Hamilton and was up into third place. Norris was back behind Hamilton once more, but this time, made the move stick and was up into fourth.

With car no.44 continuing to struggle, the second McLaren car of Oscar Piastri, despite having to pit due to a slow puncture, closed in at a rapid rate. It was a last-lap battle between the two, with Piastri winning the fight to claim fifth place as Hamilton took the chequered flag in sixth after starting third on the grid.

The Midfield

The Racing Bull’s driver, Liam Lawson, came home in seventh, scoring more valuable points for the team in their battle against Alpine for fifth in the Constructors’ Standings, as Alpine leave Singapore pointless, with Pierre Gasly just shy of the points in eleventh and an unfortunate retirement for Franco Colapinto.

Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg finished in eighth, scoring 2 points for the team, while his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto suffered an early retirement with gearbox issues.

The other Mercedes driver, and Antonelli’s closest championship contender, George Russell, climbed his way through the field after starting at the back of the grid to claim ninth place, and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar took home the final point in tenth place. The young Frenchman went from starting in the pit lane to finishing in the points.

Race results: Singapore Grand Prix

The Championship Standings and Up Next

As it stands, Antonelli sits comfortably out in front in the Drivers’ Standings on 340 points, with Russell behind on 238. With Russell leaving Singapore with only 2 points, Antonelli has the opportunity to clinch the World Championship title next time out at Austin when we go back racing in just under 2 weeks’ time.

Can Antonelli call himself a champion before we even finish this season? Find out when the five red lights go out for the start of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, October 25th.

The Full Race Classification

1 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

3 – Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

4 – Lando Norris, McLaren

5 –  Oscar Piastri, McLaren

6 – Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

7 – Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

8 – Nico Hulkenberg, Audi

9 – George Russell, Mercedes

10 – Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

11 – Pierre Gasly, Alpine, + 1 lap

12 – Oliver Bearman, Haas, + 1 lap

13 – Esteban Ocon, Haas, + lap

14 – Carlos Sainz, Williams, + 1 lap

15 – Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, + 1 lap

16 – Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, + 1 lap

17 – Sergio Perez, Cadillac, + 2 laps

18 – Alexander Albon, Williams, DNF

19 – Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac, +3 laps

NC – Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, DNF

NC – Franco Colapinto, Alpine, DNF

NC – Gabriel Bortoleto, DNF

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