Singapore GP preview: Antonelli takes 84-point lead to Marina Bay's first Sprint weekend
F1 heads to Singapore on 9-11 October after Verstappen's Sepang win. Antonelli leads Russell by 84 points but cannot clinch the title at Marina Bay.
Formula One leaves Sepang and heads straight down the road to Singapore this week, with Kimi Antonelli taking an 84-point lead into the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The Singapore Grand Prix runs from 9 to 11 October and, for the first time, the night race will use the Sprint format.
Singapore is on the same clock as Malaysia, so every session time below is also Malaysia time. The main race starts at 8pm on Sunday 11 October.
Antonelli's lead grows after the Sepang drama
The championship picture shifted at Sepang on Sunday. Max Verstappen won the rain-hit race, which started late because of heavy rain, for his first victory since the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi. Antonelli finished second, and Lewis Hamilton recovered to third for Ferrari.
The big swing came late on, when George Russell retired from third place behind the safety car. Instead of closing in, Antonelli's Mercedes team-mate fell further back, and the gap between them grew to 84 points.
Drivers' standings after round 16:
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 320 points
- George Russell (Mercedes) - 236
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - 214
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 191
- Lando Norris (McLaren) - 188
In the constructors' race, Mercedes lead with 556 points ahead of Ferrari on 405, McLaren on 316 and Red Bull on 298.
Can Antonelli win the title in Singapore?
No. Even a perfect weekend would not be enough. A driver can score a maximum of 33 points in Singapore, eight from the Sprint and 25 from the Grand Prix, and with several rounds still to come after Marina Bay, Russell would have more points available than the gap even if Antonelli maxed out. Reports point to the United States Grand Prix in Austin on 25 October as the earliest chance for Antonelli to wrap it up.
That still makes Singapore a big weekend for Russell, Hamilton and Leclerc. Each needs to start taking big chunks out of the lead soon if the title fight is to last until the final rounds.
Weekend schedule (Malaysia time)
As a Sprint weekend, there is only one practice session before competitive running begins:
- Friday 9 October: Practice 1, 4.30pm to 5.30pm; Sprint Qualifying, 8.30pm
- Saturday 10 October: Sprint, 5pm; Grand Prix Qualifying, 9pm
- Sunday 11 October: Grand Prix, 8pm
Singapore is the sixth and last Sprint of the 2026 season and round 17 of the championship.
What to watch at Marina Bay
Russell won in Singapore last year, converting pole into victory ahead of Verstappen and Norris, so he returns to a track where he has recent winning form. Verstappen arrives off the back of his Sepang win, while Ferrari will want to build on a double top-four finish in Malaysia, with Hamilton third and Leclerc fourth.
The reduced practice time could make set-up choices more of a gamble on a tight street track where overtaking is hard and safety cars are common. Qualifying, both for the Sprint and the Grand Prix, is likely to carry extra weight.
For Malaysian fans who made the trip to Sepang, Singapore is one of the closest races on the calendar, and the evening start times make it easy to follow live at home.
Key takeaways
- The Singapore Grand Prix runs from 9 to 11 October, with the race at 8pm Sunday Malaysia time.
- It is Singapore's first Sprint weekend and the last Sprint of 2026.
- Antonelli leads Russell by 84 points after Russell's late retirement at Sepang.
- The title cannot be decided in Singapore; Austin on 25 October is the earliest chance.
FAQ What time is the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix in Malaysia? The race starts at 8pm on Sunday 11 October. Singapore and Malaysia share the same time zone. Who won the Sepang race before Singapore? Max Verstappen won the rain-affected race at Sepang on 4 October, ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton. Can Kimi Antonelli clinch the championship in Singapore? No. Even if he scores the maximum 33 points in Singapore, his rivals would still have more points available over the remaining rounds than his lead, so the earliest chance is the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Sources: RacingNews365, PlanetF1, Grande Premio, Wikipedia