George Russell owned the night in Marina Bay, cruising to victory at the Singapore Grand Prix and marking his second win of the season. The 26-year-old Briton led from lights out to chequered flag, untroubled by the chaos that unfolded behind him.
Image Credits: MercedesAMGF1/F1NightRace/OfficialGR63 via facebook.com
The podium fight was a different story. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen held off a late surge from McLaren’s Lando Norris to finish second, while Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri collected enough points to secure McLaren’s constructors’ championship (i.e., with six races still left in the calendar). It is the team’s second consecutive title, cementing their return as Formula 1’s most consistent force.
For Singapore fans, the race delivered everything: a damp street circuit from pre-race rain, a fierce intra-team battle between Norris and Piastri, and the kind of strategic drama that has long defined this Grand Prix.
The flashpoint came early. Piastri, starting third, was clipped by Norris at Turn 1 as the Briton surged past Kimi Antonelli and his own teammate. The contact damaged Norris’s front wing and pushed Piastri back down the order, where a slow five-second pit stop later compounded his struggles.
Up front, Russell kept his cool while Verstappen wrestled with a car he admitted was “difficult to drive.” Even so, the Dutchman clung on, forcing Norris to settle for third after a late push in the final ten laps. Piastri crossed the line fourth, enough to deliver McLaren the points cushion that sealed the title.
Image Credits: MercedesAMGF1/F1NightRace/OfficialGR63 via facebook.com
“This feels amazing, especially after what happened a couple of years ago,” Russell said after the race. “That was a missed opportunity, but we more than made up for it today. The team was incredible all weekend. We don’t know where this performance came from, but I couldn’t be happier.”
Image Credits: MercedesAMGF1/F1NightRace/OfficialGR63 via facebook.com
With the constructors’ crown decided, the spotlight shifts to the drivers’ championship. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri leads on 336 points, just 22 ahead of teammate Norris. Verstappen sits third on 273, with Russell not far behind at 237. Six races remain, starting with the United States Grand Prix on October 17-19. In Austin, the fight for individual glory promises to be just as intense.
Image Credits: MercedesAMGF1/F1NightRace/OfficialGR63 via facebook.com
Trivia! Last 5 Singapore GP Winners:
2024 – Lando Norris (McLaren)
2023 – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
2022 – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
2019 – Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
2018 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
