Verstappen completes Singapore double as Antonelli closes in on the title

Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday night, completing a weekend sweep at Marina Bay after his victory in Saturday's rain-affected Sprint. It was the Red Bull driver's first win in Singapore and his second in succession, following victory at Sepang the previous weekend.

Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, a little over seven seconds behind, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli third for Mercedes. The result extended Antonelli's lead over team-mate George Russell to 102 points with six rounds remaining.

Verstappen in control

Leclerc tried to pass Verstappen into the first corner, but the Dutchman held his line and led throughout the 62 laps in hot, humid conditions. beIN Sports reported that radio problems forced Red Bull to communicate with him by pit board for part of the race. The win was Verstappen's 73rd in Formula 1 and came in his 250th Grand Prix start.

"It's taken a while but I think this race was very good," Verstappen said, according to Reuters. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished fourth and fifth for McLaren after passing Lewis Hamilton, who had qualified third and finished sixth. Liam Lawson, Nico Hülkenberg, Russell and Isack Hadjar completed the points. Russell started from the back of the grid because of engine penalties. Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto retired.

A chaotic Sprint

Saturday's Sprint was delayed by 30 minutes after a heavy shower shortly before the start. Russell took the lead from the front row but crashed into the pit-lane wall at the final corner of the opening lap. On the final lap, the McLarens of Norris and Piastri touched while running fourth and fifth. Verstappen won by 2.5 seconds from Hamilton and Leclerc, with Antonelli inheriting fourth. McLaren has since confirmed further talks with both drivers about the collision, PlanetF1 reported.

The championship picture

After Singapore, Antonelli has 340 points, ahead of Russell on 238, Hamilton on 229, Verstappen on 221, Leclerc on 215 and Norris on 201, according to standings published by Motorsport Week. Antonelli's third place was his 14th podium of the season. Reuters reported that he can mathematically secure the title at the next round, although the Mercedes driver said he was focused on finishing the job rather than calculations.

Analysis: Red Bull's two consecutive wins suggest Verstappen will be a strong contender for the remaining races, but the size of Antonelli's lead means the title fight is now largely about when, rather than whether, he seals it.

What happens next

The United States Grand Prix takes place in Austin, Texas, from 23 to 25 October. Race day is Sunday 25 October in Texas, which falls on Monday 26 October in Singapore.

Sources

The Race, "F1 2026 Singapore Grand Prix race result", 11 October 2026: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2026-singapore-grand-prix-race-result/

beIN Sports, "Max Verstappen Wins the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix", 11 October 2026: https://www.beinsports.com/en-us/motorsports/motorsports-formula-1/articles/max-verstappen-wins-the-2026-singapore-grand-prix-2026-10-11

Reuters via The Star, "Motor racing-Verstappen cruises to first Singapore GP win as Antonelli closes on crown", 11 October 2026: https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/motorsport/2026/10/11/motor-racing-red-bull039s-verstappen-wins-singapore-grand-prix

Al Jazeera, "Verstappen wins chaotic Singapore GP F1 sprint after Russell crashes", 10 October 2026: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/10/10/verstappen-singapore-gp-sprint-rain-russell-hamilton-leclerc

Motorsport Week, "F1 2026 - Drivers' Championship after Singapore GP", 13 October 2026: https://motorsportweek.com/2026/10/13/f1-2026-drivers-championship-after-singapore-gp

PlanetF1, "Latest F1 News" (McLaren talks with Norris and Piastri), 14 October 2026: https://www.planetf1.com/news