Verstappen wins Singapore GP from pole for first Marina Bay victory as Leclerc and Antonelli complete podium

Max Verstappen finally conquered Marina Bay on Sunday night, 11 October, converting pole position into a lights-to-flag win at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver crossed the line 7.335 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli third for Mercedes, 24.573 seconds back. It was Verstappen's 73rd Grand Prix victory, came on his 250th start, and was his first win in Singapore. Together with his sprint win on Saturday, it gave him a 33-point weekend.

Verstappen holds the lead at Turn 1 and never lets go

The decisive moment came early. Leclerc, starting alongside, challenged into the first corner, but Verstappen held firm and led all 62 laps from there. He started on soft tyres, switched to mediums around lap 33 and kept control despite a radio problem that forced Red Bull to rely partly on the pit board to talk to him. His margin went up and down as stops played out, but no rival got within striking distance in the closing stages.

Hamilton's one-stop gamble backfires

Lewis Hamilton ran as high as second for Ferrari after an early switch from mediums to softs, but he chose to stay out rather than make a second stop when a Virtual Safety Car offered a cheap pit window. The softs faded badly. Leclerc took second from his team-mate on lap 46, Antonelli also got by, and McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri then passed him late on, leaving Hamilton sixth. Over the radio he took the blame for the call, telling his team: "Sorry boys. I let you down today with that strategy."

Virtual Safety Cars and retirements

There was no full Safety Car, but the race was neutralised under the VSC. The first came early, when Gabriel Bortoleto's Audi stopped near the pit exit with a suspected gearbox problem; the car later caught fire. Another VSC followed when Lance Stroll's Aston Martin stopped at Turn 15, and Leclerc and Antonelli both used it to make their second stops. Franco Colapinto's Alpine also parked in a run-off area, bringing out yellow flags. Bortoleto, Stroll and Colapinto were not classified. Williams' Alex Albon also stopped in the closing laps but was still classified, having completed enough of the distance.

The rest of the points

Norris finished fourth and Piastri fifth after a slow puncture forced the Australian into an extra stop. Behind Hamilton, Liam Lawson took seventh for Racing Bulls and Nico Hülkenberg eighth for Audi. George Russell, who started 19th after grid penalties for new power unit parts, fought back to ninth for Mercedes, while Isack Hadjar recovered from a pit-lane start to claim the final point in tenth. Pierre Gasly, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Arvid Lindblad and Fernando Alonso completed the classified finishers in the top 16, all one lap down.

What it means for the title

Antonelli's podium, combined with Russell's ninth, pushed the Italian's lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 102 points, 340 to 238, with six Grands Prix left on the calendar. The next round is the United States Grand Prix in Austin on 23 to 25 October, where Antonelli can clinch the title if results fall his way.

Key takeaways

• Verstappen won from pole by 7.335s, leading every lap for his first Singapore victory and 73rd career win.
• Leclerc was second; Antonelli third despite brake temperature problems.
• Hamilton stayed out on old softs and dropped from second to sixth, then apologised to Ferrari.
• Bortoleto, Stroll and Colapinto did not finish; there were VSC periods but no full Safety Car.
• Antonelli now leads Russell by 102 points with six races remaining.

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix? Max Verstappen of Red Bull won from pole on 11 October, ahead of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes).

Was there a Safety Car in the Singapore Grand Prix? There was no full Safety Car. The race was neutralised by Virtual Safety Car periods for Gabriel Bortoleto's and Lance Stroll's stopped cars.

Where did George Russell finish? Russell started 19th after power unit penalties and finished ninth, scoring two points.

Sources: Formula1.com, Sky Sports, GPFans, GrandPrix.com, Sports Illustrated