Ferrari emerged from the Singapore Sprint with another encouraging result and, perhaps more importantly, signs that the SF-26 is becoming more competitive in mixed conditions. Max Verstappen ultimately won the race, but Ferrari was the only team able to stay close to Red Bull during the wetter early phase, with Lewis Hamilton particularly impressive on the intermediate tyres.
The Sprint also highlighted two contrasting sides of Ferrari’s performance. The start and early wet-weather pace were among the strongest parts of the race, while the car became more difficult to manage as the circuit dried and tyre overheating increased. That contrast made the session especially useful ahead of qualifying, where Ferrari and Red Bull both appeared capable of fighting at the front.
Red Bull confirms its strength in mixed conditions
George Russell’s early lead lasted only a few corners. The British Mercedes driver made an excellent start and moved to the front, but then lost control on the exit of the final corner and hit the barriers. The mistake was costly, although there were mitigating factors linked to the limited experience drivers have with the new generation of Formula 1 cars in wet conditions.
The reduced availability of rear aerodynamic load, combined with the sharp delivery of electric-motor torque, can make these cars more difficult to judge in mixed conditions. Even so, George Russell was the only driver among the frontrunners to misread the situation to that extent.
Max Verstappen inherited the lead and once again demonstrated his sensitivity in the wet. With the benefit of clear air, the Dutch driver imposed a pace that nobody else could consistently match, making the biggest difference in the third sector.
Red Bull showed a slight drop-off towards the end of the Sprint, although Max Verstappen may already have been managing the advantage. Nothing threatened first place. The RB22 again appeared well balanced, with strong rear stability under traction helping to control tyre overheating and offering encouraging signs before qualifying.
Ferrari shows encouraging wet-weather progress
Ferrari collected another positive result, but the bigger story was the progress visible in two specific areas. The first was the start. Charles Leclerc maintained his position, while Lewis Hamilton produced an excellent launch and climbed from sixth to third almost immediately.
The second encouraging sign came during the opening phase with the circuit still properly wet. The SF-26 was the only car capable of staying close to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. While one Sprint cannot establish a definitive trend, there had already been hints of similar behaviour in Malaysia, where Charles Leclerc recorded promising lap times during the limited running completed on intermediate tyres.
Taken together, those moments suggest Ferrari has become more competitive in mixed conditions than it often was in previous seasons. The team had already identified the specific demands of Marina Bay before the weekend, with traction and car balance playing an important role in the Singapore Sprint challenge.
Ferrari pace drops as the track dries
The negative aspect for the Scuderia was the deterioration in pace as the circuit became drier. Ferrari began to struggle with tyre overheating, reducing the advantage it had shown earlier in wetter conditions.
Lewis Hamilton managed the problem better by finding ways to cool the tyres and eventually recovered his pace. In the closing stages, he was even able to lap faster than Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc, by contrast, found tyre management more difficult and at one point was around two seconds per lap slower than his team-mate.
The difference underlined how much driving style can influence the behaviour of the 2026 Pirelli tyres. The contrast between the two Ferrari drivers is also relevant to the broader Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton season comparison, particularly when both drivers are operating in difficult tyre windows.
Ferrari’s changing performance as the circuit dried therefore remains one of the key areas to understand before qualifying. More detailed technical coverage of the SF-26 can be found in the Ferrari technical analysis section.
Mercedes searches for answers before qualifying
McLaren’s late collision handed Kimi Antonelli an unexpected fourth place, with the Italian driver staying out of trouble and benefiting from the incidents ahead. Even in the wet, however, he struggled with the updated Mercedes, whose aerodynamic behaviour differs from the previous package.
At present, the W17 appears to be operating outside its ideal window, with a balance that Kimi Antonelli described as “unpredictable”. That points to repeated movement between understeer and oversteer, an especially difficult characteristic for a driver who attacks corner entry and therefore needs confidence in the rear of the car.
Mercedes is expected to make significant set-up changes before qualifying in an attempt to move back into the fight for pole position. Based on the Sprint, however, Ferrari and Red Bull appear to have established themselves as two of the strongest contenders heading into the session.
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