Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is back to his winning ways, doing it in a place where he had never taken the checkered flag before. Racing under the lights in Marina Bay, Singapore, he left with both poles, the sprint victory, and the Grand Prix win. It was his 250th Grand Prix start, his 73rd career victory, and his second straight win after crushing the competition in Malaysia a week earlier. Behind him, championship leader Kimi Antonelli of the Mercedes team took third and moved within reach of his first world title.
Verstappen Breaks Through, At Last
Verstappen came to race in Singapore. He took sprint pole with a 1:31.156, edging Mercedes’s George Russell by 0.120 seconds, despite car issues and a stewards’ investigation for a yellow-flag infringement.
On Sunday, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc launched hard from second, forcing Verstappen to sweep left to protect the inside line into Turn 1. From there, the Red Bull driver turned his pole position into a dominant victory, leading all 62 laps of the race and making his lone pit stop without surrendering the lead. He did it with a faulty radio that left Red Bull unable to hear him. His engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, resorted to yes-or-no questions that Verstappen answered by pressing his transmit button.In the end, he crossed the line more than seven seconds ahead of Leclerc.
A Wet and Unpredictable Sprint
Saturday’s sprint delivered some chaos. A heavy shower shortly before the scheduled start set racers back 30 minutes, and the field began on intermediate tires behind the safety car.
Russell beat Verstappen off the line, but his lead lasted less than a lap. Exiting the final corner, he touched the slippery white line and slid right into the pit lane wall. Russell later attributed the mistake to having more battery deployment than expected.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton capitalized, charging from sixth on the grid to second and finishing two and a half seconds behind Verstappen. Leclerc then completed the podium. On the final lap, McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made contact while running fourth and fifth, handing fourth to Antonelli, who had started seventh. Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Nico Hülkenberg, and a recovering Norris rounded out the points. The stewards took no action against either McLaren driver.
Hamilton’s Costly Strategy Call
Sunday’s biggest swing belonged to Hamilton. Starting third, he was the only front-runner on medium tires and the first to pit (he would switch to softs on Lap 19). When Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin stopped on track and triggered a virtual safety car, Ferrari called both drivers in. Leclerc and Antonelli took fresh tires, but Hamilton missed the pit entry and stayed out on aging rubber.
The decision unraveled late. Leclerc passed him for second on Lap 46. On Lap 55, Hamilton ran wide defending against Norris. Antonelli slipped past the McLaren before overtaking the Ferrari for third. Norris and Piastri followed through, dropping Hamilton to sixth. He took responsibility over team radio, and a stewards’ investigation into the battle produced no further action. Staying out on worn tires to protect track position is a classic high-risk play, the kind that is impressive when it works, though it’s always a gamble. In Singapore, the gamble fell short.
Lawson finished seventh for Racing Bulls, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg’s Audi. Russell, starting from the back of the grid due to engine penalties, recovered to ninth after spending laps stuck behind Hülkenberg. Isack Hadjar started from the pit lane and claimed the final point in tenth. Gabriel Bortoleto, Stroll, and Franco Colapinto all failed to finish.
Updated Championship Standings
Drivers’ Championship (Top 5)
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 340
2. George Russell (Mercedes) – 238
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 229
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 221
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 215
Constructors’ Championship (Top 5)
1. Mercedes – 578
2. Ferrari – 444
3. McLaren – 339
4. Red Bull – 332
5. Racing Bulls – 100
Further down, Audi’s six-point pickup moved it within seven points of Haas, while Cadillac remains in search of its first championship point.
What’s Changed Since the Summer Break
At the midpoint of the season, Antonelli held 219 points and a 50-point advantage over Hamilton. That margin has since more than doubled. Russell is now second instead of Hamilton.
Verstappen’s turnaround is the most dramatic shift. He entered the break without a 2026 victory, prompting many to question his future at Red Bull. He has since committed to the team through 2030 and won consecutive races, climbing to fourth in the standings. He sits at eight points behind Hamilton. His surge has also pulled Red Bull within seven points of McLaren in the battle for third among the constructors.
Revised Predictions Heading Into Season’s End
The title could be decided in Austin
With six races and 150 points remaining, Antonelli’s 102-point lead leaves him on the verge of claiming the championship. He can clinch at the United States Grand Prix (October 23–25) if he leaves Austin more than 125 points ahead of the pack. If not, Mexico City offers the next opportunity a week later. A title would make the 20-year-old the youngest champion in F1 history and Italy’s first since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
The race for second is wide open
Just 23 points separate Russell in second from Leclerc in fifth. Russell’s engine penalties and sprint crash have cost him ground, while Verstappen’s momentum makes him the most likely driver to climb in the rankings. Expect the runner-up position to remain unresolved until the final rounds.
Red Bull is positioned to overtake McLaren
A seven-point deficit can be overcome in a single strong weekend for a team like Red Bull. McLaren’s last-lap sprint clash in Singapore was a reminder of how quickly points can slip away when teammates race wheel to wheel.
Ferrari’s second place looks secure
A 105-point cushion over McLaren gives Ferrari room to absorb an off weekend, though Hamilton’s Singapore strategy error shows how one decision can erase a podium.
