Verstappen wins record-breaking Singapore Sprint after Russell crash
Max Verstappen turned George Russell’s opening-lap crash into victory in a chaotic Singapore Grand Prix Sprint, which set a new record for retirements in the format.
The 20-lap race began 30 minutes late after torrential rain hit the Marina Bay Street Circuit shortly before the scheduled start. Two formation laps behind the safety car followed, then the field finally got racing on the wet track.
Starting second, Russell launched ahead of Verstappen on the run to Turn 1. Lewis Hamilton, starting sixth, gained three places to take third for Ferrari. But Russell spun after catching a wet kerb at the final corner on lap one, hitting the wall beside the start-finish straight and handing the lead to Verstappen.
A procession follows the opening-lap crash
The safety car came in at the end of lap six. With Verstappen out front, the race settled into a procession and he secured his 14th victory in the 30 sprints held in Formula 1. Hamilton finished second, ahead of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The crash and wet conditions triggered a string of retirements. Lance Stroll and Cadillac’s Sergio Perez were out after a collision, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar pulled into an escape road with a lack of engine braking. Franco Colapinto also retired after his Alpine shut down.
There were 17 cars left when the safety car departed. Alex Albon then hit Gabriel Bortoleto’s Audi, and Valtteri Bottas ran into Albon. Bortoleto and Bottas retired; Albon returned to the pits for a new front wing, but was later told to withdraw. That brought the retirement count to eight, a sprint record. On the final lap, Lando Norris and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri collided while Norris tried to pass for fourth. Norris finished eighth, while Piastri became the ninth retiree.
Antonelli extends his championship advantage
Behind the podium finishers, Kimi Antonelli took fourth, followed by Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg and Norris. Antonelli’s five points extended his advantage over Russell to 89 points.
Russell is due to start the Grand Prix from the back of the grid after taking a completely new power unit. His recovery prospects are the focus of this Singapore preview. Verstappen’s latest sprint win adds to the attention around the Red Bull driver; see our coverage of questions about his future.
The stewards said they would investigate the Perez-Stroll and Albon-Bortoleto incidents after the race.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.