Verstappen wins Singapore Grand Prix, extends championship lead
Max Verstappen secured his first Singapore Grand Prix victory, widening his points advantage while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second and Kimi Antonelli took third.
Max Verstappen claimed his inaugural win at the Singapore Grand Prix, finishing 7.3 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc and ahead of Kimi Antonelli, who completed the podium. Verstappen held off an early challenge from Leclerc and built a decisive lead after the first round of pit stops.
Lewis Hamilton, who started on medium tyres, pitted early for softs but fell back, eventually finishing sixth after pressure from Lando Norris. George Russell, starting 19th due to a grid penalty, climbed to ninth, while several drivers, including Fernando Alonso and Sergio Pérez, finished outside the points.
During the race, a virtual safety car was deployed when Gabriel Bortoleto stopped on the start-finish straight with a suspected gearbox problem. Leclerc and Antonelli used the interval to change tyres, while Hamilton stayed out on worn softs.
"I feel something leaking between my feet," Kimi Antonelli said on lap 32.
"Mate, I have no f***ing brakes! I just went straight! The pedal was so long!" Antonelli added later, expressing frustration after a pit-lane incident.
Ferrari’s strategy was questioned after Leclerc’s tyre changes, but the team managed to keep him within striking distance of Verstappen until the final stages. The win gives Verstappen a larger cushion in the drivers’ championship, positioning him for a potential title clinch at the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin.