Max Verstappen is officially back. After winning in Malaysia, the Dutchman triumphed again at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, completing a perfect weekend at Marina Bay. The Red Bull driver led from the first lap to the last and was never seriously threatened, although Charles Leclerc produced strong race pace on his way to an excellent second place for Ferrari.
It was a race of two contrasting outcomes for Ferrari. While Charles Leclerc secured P2, Lewis Hamilton finished sixth behind both McLarens after a strategic choice ultimately failed to pay off. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, moved another step closer to the World Championship by claiming a podium late in the race, giving the Mercedes driver his first title match point at Austin.
Different tyre choice for Lewis Hamilton as Charles Leclerc attacks Max Verstappen
Singapore hosted the 17th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, with an aggressive Max Verstappen starting from pole position. After taking his first victory of the season in Malaysia, the Dutchman had dominated the Marina Bay weekend up to that point, having already won Saturday’s race.
Ferrari lined up directly behind, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton starting third and fourth respectively, ahead of championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The Italian had struggled to build confidence with the updated Mercedes W17. George Russell, meanwhile, started from the back of the grid after throwing away his Sprint lead and receiving a penalty for replacing power-unit components.
Pirelli expected a one-stop race, but the leading drivers adopted different tyre strategies for the start. Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc started on Soft tyres, with a new set for the Red Bull driver, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli and both McLarens also chose the Soft. Lewis Hamilton instead began the race on Mediums.
When the lights went out, Charles Leclerc reacted quickest and drew alongside Max Verstappen in the opening metres. Under braking, however, the Dutchman produced an aggressive move to keep the lead he had earned in qualifying. Lewis Hamilton and Andrea Kimi Antonelli also made clean starts and, despite fighting in the early stages, remained in their original positions ahead of the two McLarens.
Lewis Hamilton stops early after struggling on the Medium tyres
On lap eight, Gabriel Bortoleto was forced to park his Audi near the pit-lane exit with a technical problem, briefly bringing out the Virtual Safety Car.
Charles Leclerc initially managed to stay with Max Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver then appeared to find another level of race pace and began building a useful advantage over the Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was clearly struggling with his starting tyre choice and gradually lost contact with the leading pair.
By the end of the opening quarter of the race, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris had caught the Ferrari driver. With the pace deficit becoming increasingly clear, Lewis Hamilton made an early stop on lap 20, switching from Mediums to Softs in a move that suggested a two-stop strategy. He rejoined in seventh place behind Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls. Further back, George Russell was working his way through the midfield and towards the points.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli stopped on lap 24, in line with Pirelli’s predictions, and fitted Soft tyres. Charles Leclerc followed one lap later, switching from Softs to Mediums and returning to the track just behind his Ferrari teammate.
Max Verstappen remained at the front while the two McLarens extended their opening stints on Soft tyres. The Dutchman finally stopped on lap 33, followed by Lando Norris, with both switching to Mediums. Max Verstappen completed his stop without surrendering control of the Grand Prix. Once Oscar Piastri had also stopped for Mediums, the original race hierarchy was effectively restored.
Charles Leclerc shows strong pace as the podium fight intensifies
On lap 40, Lance Stroll was forced to stop his Aston Martin at the side of the circuit with a technical problem, prompting another Virtual Safety Car so the car could be recovered.
Charles Leclerc and Andrea Kimi Antonelli took advantage of the interruption to make their second stops. Both lost one position but gained fresher tyres for the closing stages. George Russell also came in for his first pit stop and rejoined in 10th position.
With the advantage offered by his fresher tyres, Charles Leclerc quickly caught his teammate and comfortably passed the seven-time World Champion. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s race was less straightforward, as the Italian had to manage both track limits and the intense Singapore heat. Television cameras repeatedly showed the Mercedes driver alternately removing his hands from the steering wheel in an attempt to find some relief from the temperature inside the cockpit.
Charles Leclerc then tried to close the gap to Max Verstappen, showing excellent race pace as the Ferrari driver attempted to keep the pressure on the leader. Behind them, the battle for the final podium position intensified.
Lewis Hamilton was struggling on worn Soft tyres, allowing Lando Norris and Andrea Kimi Antonelli to close rapidly. Lando Norris attacked the Ferrari driver but left the door open for the championship leader, who took advantage by passing first the McLaren and then Lewis Hamilton to claim a superb podium position.
The contrasting tyre strategies and stint lengths played a decisive role in Ferrari’s race, and the different compound sequences can be explored through the F1 Tyre & Stint Analysis.
Max Verstappen wins again as Charles Leclerc takes second
Max Verstappen ultimately took centre stage in Singapore after delivering an impeccable weekend. The Dutchman secured his second consecutive Grand Prix victory, underlining Red Bull’s progress and putting himself back into contention for a strong finish to the season.
Charles Leclerc finished an impressive second, giving Ferrari encouraging signs through the race pace he demonstrated at Marina Bay. Andrea Kimi Antonelli completed the podium and will now head to Austin with a historic first opportunity to secure the World Championship.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished fourth and fifth for McLaren. The Australian passed Lewis Hamilton on the final lap, relegating the Ferrari driver to sixth after a difficult conclusion to a race in which he completed 44 laps on the Soft compound.
After the chequered flag, Lewis Hamilton took responsibility for the decision not to make an additional stop during the Virtual Safety Car period. George Russell recovered from the back of the grid to finish ninth, behind Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg, while Isack Hadjar completed the top ten.
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