Daijiworld Media Network - Singapore
Singapore, Oct 10: Max Verstappen mastered tricky wet-to-dry conditions to win the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint on Saturday, while George Russell crashed out on the opening lap and a late collision between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri turned the battle for the podium on its head.
Verstappen started from pole position but immediately lost the lead to Mercedes driver Russell, who made a rapid start on the slippery Marina Bay Street Circuit. Russell's race, however, ended dramatically at the final corner of the opening lap when he lost control of his car and crashed into the concrete barriers.
Verstappen reclaimed the lead and maintained it during the Safety Car period, carefully managing his intermediate tyres as the track gradually dried. The Red Bull driver held off Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton to take the Sprint victory after a heavy downpour had delayed the scheduled start by 30 minutes.
Hamilton finished second after a brilliant getaway lifted him from sixth to third. Russell's retirement subsequently promoted him to second place, while his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc secured the final podium position in third.
The race took another dramatic turn in its closing stages when Norris attempted to pass Piastri at Turn 5. The McLaren teammates collided, sending both cars spinning and ruining their chances of finishing on the podium.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fourth, ahead of Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, Haas driver Ollie Bearman and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg. Norris recovered to finish eighth, while Piastri was classified 14th, one lap behind, after losing 10 positions in the incident.
The race had been delayed by heavy rain, which left standing water at several points on the circuit, particularly around Turns 2 and 3.
After the Medical Car inspected the track, the FIA postponed the start and sent the drivers out for formation laps before opting for a standing start on intermediate tyres.
At the start, Russell passed Verstappen through the first corner, while Hamilton overtook Leclerc, Piastri and Norris to move into third place. The early running was disrupted by Russell's crash at the end of the opening lap, which brought out the Safety Car.
Several other drivers also failed to finish. Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll collided under braking at Turn 16, forcing the Aston Martin driver to retire immediately, while Perez managed to return to the pits. Isack Hadjar and Franco Colapinto also retired during the early laps.
Another accident involved Williams' Alex Albon, Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas. Both Bortoleto and Bottas were forced to retire, while Albon initially continued before eventually withdrawing late in the race.
As the circuit dried, Verstappen gradually extended his advantage over Hamilton, while Leclerc came under increasing pressure from the two McLaren drivers. Leclerc reported that his front tyres were heavily worn, but the changing conditions prompted the leading drivers to remain on intermediate tyres rather than switch to slicks.
The collision between the McLaren teammates ultimately allowed Leclerc to secure third place. Antonelli's fourth-place finish also helped strengthen his position in the championship battle, while Russell's retirement cost him valuable points and widened the gap to his Mercedes teammate.
Alpine's Pierre Gasly finished ninth, followed by Haas driver Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Williams' Carlos Sainz and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.
Verstappen had secured Sprint pole position during Friday's qualifying session, beating Russell, Leclerc and Piastri. The Dutchman was cleared of a possible grid penalty after the stewards reviewed a yellow-flag incident during the opening part of qualifying.
The stewards subsequently confirmed that no further action would be taken over Hamilton's alleged yellow-flag infringement during the Sprint. The collision involving Albon, Bortoleto and Bottas was also set to be reviewed after the race.