Daijiworld Media Network - Marina Bay
Marina Bay (Singapore), Oct 11: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen capped a dominant weekend in Singapore by securing his maiden victory at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished third to strengthen his grip on the Formula One title race.
Starting from pole position, Verstappen delivered a masterclass over 62 laps to claim victory on his 250th Grand Prix start. The win was his second consecutive triumph after his victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia last week.
Verstappen enjoyed a perfect weekend, qualifying on pole for the Sprint race, winning the Sprint and then securing pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who started second, finished in the same position despite opting for a two-stop strategy. Mercedes driver Antonelli secured third place, while his teammate and nearest title rival George Russell finished ninth after starting from 19th on the grid. Russell had taken new power unit components, exceeding his seasonal allocation.
Antonelli now has 340 points, giving him a 102-point advantage over Russell, who has 238 points after collecting two points for his ninth-place finish.
The result gives Antonelli a mathematical chance of clinching the championship at the next race, the United States Grand Prix in Austin. With five more races scheduled after Austin, the Italian is in a strong position to secure the title.
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing race for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who slipped from third to sixth in the closing laps. Hamilton opted for a one-stop strategy, making an early pit stop to switch from medium-compound tyres to softs. He was among the few drivers in the top 10 to start the race on medium tyres.
McLaren’s Lando Norris attempted to overtake Hamilton on lap 54 to move into third place, but his tyres picked up dirt as Antonelli passed the reigning champion. Antonelli then overtook Hamilton to claim third, while Norris also moved ahead of the Ferrari driver to finish fourth.
Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri overtook Hamilton in the closing stages to secure fifth place.
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson finished seventh, ahead of Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, while Isack Hadjar claimed the final point-scoring position after starting the race from the pit lane.