MERCEDES driver George Russell secured victory in the Singapore Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris while McLaren clinched the Formula One constructors’ championship.
Oscar Piastri finished fourth, reducing his lead over McLaren teammate Norris in the drivers’ standings to just 22 points.
The combined 27 points from Piastri and Norris gave McLaren their second consecutive constructors’ title with six races remaining, matching Red Bull’s 2023 record.
McLaren claimed their tenth team championship despite an early race incident where their drivers made contact during the opening turns.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown praised both drivers for their brilliant performances throughout the season.
Brown emphasised that the team allows their drivers to race hard and clean while competing for victories.
Russell expressed overwhelming joy at winning his first Singapore night race, describing it as redemption for his final-lap crash two years ago.
The Englishman acknowledged his surprise at the car’s performance after starting from pole position.
Russell highlighted the challenge of Singapore’s heat and humidity during the one hour and forty-five minute race.
He specifically noted his satisfaction at building a ten-second gap within twenty laps before managing the race to the finish.
Verstappen expressed relief at securing second place for Red Bull despite a difficult race.
The four-time world champion admitted the race proved more challenging than anticipated for various reasons.
Verstappen remains third in the championship standings, sixty-three points behind Australian driver Piastri.
He acknowledged that Singapore’s circuit limitations made second place the maximum achievable result.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli finished fifth followed by Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Fernando Alonso, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz completed the top ten positions.
Hamilton struggled with brake failure in the race’s closing stages, dropping from fifth to seventh.
The British driver received a five-second penalty for multiple track limit violations, demoting him to eighth behind Alonso.
Russell made a clean start from pole position while drama unfolded behind him between the McLaren drivers.
Norris aggressively passed both Antonelli and teammate Piastri during the opening lap’s first turn.
Piastri expressed frustration over team radio about Norris’s aggressive move without team intervention.
The championship leader repeatedly described the situation as unfair while Norris defended it as good racing.
The top four drivers maintained their positions after pit stops despite Verstappen reporting gearbox issues.
Norris closed on Verstappen but found passing impossible on Singapore’s notoriously difficult overtaking circuit.
Organisers declared the tropical night race Formula One’s first official Heat Hazard event.
This designation required all teams to provide liquid-cooled vests for drivers though usage remained optional.
Several drivers including Verstappen opted against using the cooling equipment with air temperatures at twenty-eight degrees Celsius. – AFP