F1 standings after Singapore sprint: Antonelli 89 points clear of Russell, but no title decider on Sunday
Kimi Antonelli leads George Russell by 89 points after the Singapore sprint. We check the numbers on what the grand prix can, and cannot, settle.
Kimi Antonelli heads into the Singapore Grand Prix with an 89-point lead in the Formula 1 drivers' championship after Saturday's sprint at Marina Bay, where he finished fourth and his Mercedes team-mate George Russell crashed out. This update follows our pre-weekend title-maths piece, which had the gap at 84 points; here we look at what the race on Sunday, 11 October can and cannot change.
Drivers' standings after the Singapore sprint
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 325 points
- George Russell (Mercedes), 236
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 221
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 197
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 196
- Lando Norris (McLaren), 189
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 128
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), 96
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), 69
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine), 41
The sprint changed the picture behind the leader. Verstappen's win (8 points) lifted him to 196, one point behind Leclerc, who took 6 for third. Hamilton's 7 points for second cut his gap to Russell to 15 points in the fight for runner-up, and Norris's single point leaves him seven behind Verstappen.
Constructors' standings
Mercedes lead with 561 points (Antonelli 325 plus Russell 236), ahead of Ferrari on 418 (Hamilton 221 plus Leclerc 197). McLaren are third on 317, 11 points ahead of Red Bull on 306, with Racing Bulls fifth on 94.
No title decider in Singapore
The Singapore sprint was the last sprint of the season, so only grand prix points (25 for a win, down to 1 for tenth) remain. Including Singapore, seven grands prix are left, worth a maximum of 175 points. After the Singapore race, six remain, worth 150.
The best possible outcome for Antonelli on Sunday is a win with Russell scoring nothing, which would push his lead to 114 points. That is below the 150 still available afterwards, so the championship cannot be decided in Singapore. Even in that scenario, with five races (125 points) left after the United States Grand Prix in Austin on 25 October, Antonelli would still need to extend his lead further there to wrap up the title at that round.
Who could be ruled out on Sunday
Piastri, 197 points behind, is already out of contention because the gap exceeds the 175 points left. For others, the race offers an elimination test, based on a 150-point maximum afterwards:
- Norris (136 behind): he can no longer catch Antonelli if Antonelli wins and Norris finishes fifth or lower, if Antonelli is second and Norris ninth or lower, or if Antonelli is third and Norris fails to score.
- Verstappen (129 behind) and Leclerc (128 behind): each would be ruled out if Antonelli wins and they finish outside the top eight.
- Hamilton (104 behind) and Russell (89 behind): both stay mathematically alive whatever happens in Singapore, because the largest possible lead after Sunday would be 129 over Hamilton and 114 over Russell.
In all cases, a driver is only eliminated when the gap after the race is greater than the points still available. Starting positions add context: Verstappen is on pole, Leclerc second, Hamilton third, Antonelli fourth and Norris fifth, while Russell starts 21st after a power unit penalty.
Key takeaways
- Antonelli leads Russell 325 to 236, a gap of 89 points, after the Singapore sprint.
- Hamilton is 15 points behind Russell; Leclerc, Verstappen and Norris are separated by eight points.
- With no sprints left, 175 points remain including Singapore, so the title cannot be decided on Sunday.
- Piastri is already mathematically out; Norris, Verstappen and Leclerc could be eliminated depending on the Singapore result.
- Mercedes lead the constructors' standings by 143 points over Ferrari.
FAQ
Can Kimi Antonelli win the title at the Singapore Grand Prix? No. Even a win with Russell scoring nothing would leave him 114 points ahead, with 150 points still available.
How many points are left in the 2026 F1 season? Before the Singapore Grand Prix, 175 points remain from seven grands prix. There are no sprints left.
Who is second in the championship? George Russell, on 236 points, 15 ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Sources: RaceFans, Crash.net, Formula1.com, RacingNews365, GPFans