Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, ending a decade-long run without a victory at the Marina Bay street circuit, according to Car and Driver. The Red Bull driver led home Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli, with the result tightening his grip on second place in the drivers' standings with six rounds of the 2026 season remaining.
Car and Driver reported that Verstappen's weekend in Singapore was close to flawless, describing him as the personification of perfection under the circuit's artificial lights. Counting the sprint format, he finished his stay in the Asian city-state with two pole positions and two wins.
Why it matters
The win matters on two fronts. For Verstappen, it removes a venue that had resisted him for a decade and confirms a run of form that Car and Driver compared to his dominant 2023 campaign. For the championship picture, it moves him closer to George Russell's position in the standings, though Car and Driver noted that a fifth title is no longer mathematically possible for him in 2026 after Red Bull's slow start to the year.
The race also reshaped the fight at the front of the drivers' table in a different way. Antonelli's podium extended his lead over Russell in the world championship, and Car and Driver reported that the Italian will have his first match point to become the youngest champion in Formula 1 history at the Circuit of the Americas.
Leclerc pushes, but Verstappen holds
Leclerc, described by Car and Driver as Verstappen's long-standing rival from their karting days, matched the Dutchman at the start of the race. Car and Driver reported that Verstappen's aggression told in the opening corners, where he cut off the Ferrari driver's attack at turn one.
From there, the 62 laps around Marina Bay became a sustained pursuit. Car and Driver reported that Ferrari shadowed Verstappen throughout — first close enough to show the nose of the SF-26, and later from a distance after Leclerc used a Virtual Safety Car period to fit fresher soft tyres. The report described the effort as insufficient, with Verstappen finishing the race in a manner Car and Driver called unstoppable.
Ferrari's strategy call costs Hamilton a podium
Car and Driver reported that reliability retirements for Gabriel Bortoleto, Franco Colapinto and Lance Stroll opened a window for pit stops, giving drivers the chance to change tyres with little time lost. According to the outlet, Ferrari's pit wall instead prioritised an unlikely victory for Leclerc, at the cost of a podium for Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton, running third on worn soft tyres, did not pit — a decision Car and Driver called incomprehensible. He was passed by Lando Norris and by Antonelli, who Car and Driver said rescued an unexpected and quiet podium. The report added that Antonelli accumulated multiple track limits infringements without sanction from the FIA.
The podium under the Marina Bay lights was completed by Verstappen, Leclerc and Antonelli. Car and Driver reported that Russell could only recover to ninth and Isack Hadjar to tenth, while Hamilton finished sixth.
Sainz and Alonso fade as the Asian swing ends
Further back, Car and Driver reported that Carlos Sainz flirted with the top ten after a strong start but was pushed down to 14th by the Williams FW48's competitive shortcomings and what the outlet described as a suspected battery failure. Fernando Alonso, who started from the pit lane because of a lack of power from his Honda engine, climbed to 16th but had no chance of scoring points.
Formula 1 now leaves its South-East Asian leg and will rest for a week before heading to the Americas for the penultimate triple-header of the season. The next stop is the Circuit of the Americas, where Antonelli will have his first opportunity to seal the title.
