Verstappen Wins Singapore Sprint as Russell Crashes Out
Max Verstappen secured victory in a rain-delayed Singapore Grand Prix sprint race after leader George Russell’s misjudgement on the final corner of the opening lap sent him into the wall.
Max Verstappen clinched the sprint race victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, a second Formula One event in as many weeks to be postponed due to weather. The race was delayed by 30 minutes as torrential rain hit the track shortly before its scheduled start, a week after the Malaysian Grand Prix was also controversially deferred.
Verstappen's win on Singapore's street circuit came after George Russell, who had been leading, crashed out. "Sorry, sorry, sorry," Russell told his team after slipping on the white line of the final bend on the opening lap, causing him to lose control and brush the wall.
Lewis Hamilton finished second for Ferrari, recovering from sixth on the grid with an strong start. His teammate Charles Leclerc took third place. The McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were involved in a crash at the end of the race.
Russell, who had made a perfect getaway to pass pole-sitter Verstappen, had been in command before his unforced error. Despite the track still being wet, the spray was not affecting him but those behind. His hopes for the world championship are now effectively over, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli holding an 88-point lead over Russell going into qualifying.
Qualifying was also delayed by half an hour due to the earlier interruption. With a maximum of 175 points still available, and races scheduled for Qatar and Abu Dhabi in late November and early December, Imola remains a potential alternative venue should those events be cancelled amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.