SINGAPORE: Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen won the Singapore sprint race by 2.591 seconds over Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton on Saturday after George Russell crashed while leading.
Russell’s opening-lap accident brought out the safety car and handed Verstappen the lead. Hamilton had started sixth, passing Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and both McLarens before moving into second.
Formula 1’s provisional classification listed Leclerc third. Verstappen completed 20 laps in 39 minutes 48.162 seconds. He earned eight points, Hamilton seven and Leclerc six.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fourth for Mercedes after starting seventh. He gained five points while teammate Russell scored none.
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had occupied fourth and fifth before making contact on the final lap. Norris attempted an inside pass at Turn Five and caught his teammate’s rear wheel.
Both spun, allowing Antonelli to move ahead. Piastri hit the barriers and retired, while Norris recovered to finish eighth and collect the final point.
Norris apologised to McLaren for losing one car and said the team would review the incident.
Liam Lawson took fifth for Racing Bulls, followed by Haas F1 Team’s Oliver Bearman and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Rain had disrupted preparations before the sprint began. A heavy shower arrived 10 minutes before the scheduled start, delaying proceedings by 30 minutes.
Drivers chose intermediate tyres for a circuit that remained wet in some sections and considerably drier in others. They completed two formation laps behind the safety car before lining up for a standing start.
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Russell shared the front row with pole-sitter Verstappen and initially got away faster. He lost control at the final corner of the opening lap after running onto a white line. His Mercedes slid sideways into the pit lane wall.
“It was a miscalculation,” Russell told Sky Sports.
He explained that he deployed more battery than expected, which pushed him wider through the corner. Russell accepted that his error had serious consequences.
The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2026 takes place on Sunday. Russell will start from the back of the grid because of engine penalties.
(With additional input from AFP)
