SINGAPORE, Oct 11 (Reuters) – Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing won the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, marking his first victory at this circuit and his second consecutive win of the season. Verstappen started the race from pole position and maintained control throughout, finishing ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second place and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, who secured third.
Verstappen’s win followed a successful sprint race the previous day, and he expressed satisfaction with his performance. “It’s taken a while but I think this race was very good. We had pace when we needed to have it on the soft tyre,” he said. “The last two races have been really positive for us, and it’s just great to see.” He previously indicated that he had “unfinished business” in Singapore, having never won at the venue prior to this race.
Antonelli’s podium finish extended his championship lead over teammate George Russell to 102 points, bringing him closer to potentially clinching the title at the next race in Austin. “Can I? Really?” he responded with surprise when informed that he could secure the championship. “Well, let’s not worry about that. Let’s try to do the best weekend as possible and finish the job.”
Hamilton faced difficulties during the race after qualifying third. He lost ground early and eventually finished sixth, unable to maintain pace with his rivals. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren overtook him in the final laps.
At the race’s start, Leclerc reacted quickly and nearly matched Verstappen into Turn 1, but the Dutch driver managed to retain his lead. As the event progressed, he steadily increased his gap while managing tire performance, even as Hamilton struggled on medium tires.
The race saw several strategic battles, particularly between Ferrari teammates Hamilton and Leclerc. Notably, Hamilton urged his team to let him pass Leclerc as he sought to regain speed, but Leclerc set the fastest lap soon after.
Verstappen pitted on lap 33, rejoining the track still in the lead. However, he faced radio communication issues, which led to coded messages from his race engineer to manage strategy effectively. The last stint of the race witnessed several drivers closing in on Hamilton, culminating in his loss of two positions on the final lap.
The next race, set for Austin, presents Antonelli with the potential to secure the championship, while Verstappen will look to continue his winning momentum.
