F1 Singapore: Verstappen wins the sprint in the rain
The newsroomUpdated on October 10, 20263 minMax Verstappen (Red Bull) wins the Singapore GP sprint ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc; Russell crashes and the two McLarens collide on the final lap.
Key point
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) won the Singapore GP sprint over 20 wet laps ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari); Antonelli stays the championship leader, 89 points clear.
Max Verstappen won Saturday's sprint at the Singapore Grand Prix, run on a damp track at Marina Bay. The Red Bull driver, who started from pole, took his 14th sprint victory ahead of the two Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
A race that started behind the safety car
Heavy rain before the start left standing water near Turns 2 and 3 and delayed the race by 30 minutes. Every driver started on intermediate tyres. George Russell (Mercedes) took the lead at the start before losing control and ending up in the barriers early in the race: the safety car came out and racing only resumed on lap 7. The sprint was eventually cut from 21 to 20 laps.
The sprint result
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 8 points
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), +2.591s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), +16.871s
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), +17.238s, 5 points
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), +20.632s
- Oliver Bearman (Haas), +24.321s
- Nico Hülkenberg (Audi), +27.525s
- Lando Norris (McLaren), +28.272s, 1 point
Hamilton, who set the fastest lap with a 1:45.457, passed his team-mate Leclerc and both McLarens in the opening moments. Several drivers retired, including Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez, Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto and Valtteri Bottas.
The McLaren clash on the final lap
On the final lap, Lando Norris dived down the inside of team-mate Oscar Piastri at Turn 5, and Piastri did not see him. The two cars touched. Piastri was out a few corners from the flag, and Norris dropped to 8th. Antonelli benefited, taking 4th place. According to Motorsport Week, Norris apologised to the team, while Piastri said he was not bothered because only 4th place was at stake.
What the sprint changes in the championship
Antonelli stays on top with 325 points, 89 clear of Russell (236). Hamilton (221) closes to within 15 points of Russell for 2nd and is 24 ahead of Leclerc (197). Verstappen (196) moves past Norris into 5th. In the constructors' standings Red Bull (306) cut the gap to third-placed McLaren (317) to 11 points.
Qualifying pushed back
With the sprint finishing late, F1 delayed qualifying by 30 minutes: it starts at 21:30 local time, 13:30 UTC. The rules require at least three hours between the end of the sprint and the start of qualifying.
The editorial team
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix sprint?
Max Verstappen (Red Bull), who started from pole, ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 2.591s and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) by 16.871s.
What happened between Norris and Piastri?
On the final lap Lando Norris tried to pass his team-mate Oscar Piastri on the inside at Turn 5. The two McLarens collided: Piastri was out and classified 14th, while Norris finished 8th.
What time is qualifying in Singapore?
It was pushed back by 30 minutes to 21:30 local time, which is 13:30 UTC.
Sources
- Crash.net — New standings after the Singapore sprint
- F1 Fansite — Singapore sprint report and results
- Paddock-GP — Verstappen wins the sprint in the rain
- Motorsport Week — The McLaren clash in Singapore
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
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