SINGAPORE: George Russell drove a flawless race from pole position to win the Singapore Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, leaving Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen and the two McLarens to fight it out for the other podium spots.
Briton Russell took the checkered flag under the lights of the Marina Bay street circuit 5.4 seconds clear of Verstappen to claim his second victory of the season.
“It feels amazing,” said Russell. “We don’t really know where this performance came from, but really, really happy.
“I was really nervous at the beginning when I saw Max on the soft (tires), but that first stint was great from us.”
Lando Norris put pressure on Verstappen toward the end of the race but had to settle for third ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, the pair earning enough points to seal a second consecutive constructors’ title for McLaren.
“It was a tough race,” said Norris. “Max didn’t make any mistakes. I gave it my all today, and got close.
“I’m happy with today. I got forward two positions. We won as a team, the constructors’ once again.”
Piastri’s lead over Briton Norris in the drivers’ standings was cut to 22 points, while Verstappen is 63 points behind the Australian with six races remaining in the season.
“I think second was the maximum result today,” said Verstappen. “I think the whole race was quite difficult, more difficult than I hope for, for a lot of different reasons.”
The celebrations for the constructors’ title in the McLaren garage might be muted, however, with Piastri fuming at the way Norris forced his way past his teammate on the opening corner.
Kimi Antonelli was a distant fifth in the other Mercedes with Charles Leclerc finishing sixth ahead of his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was later docked a five-second penalty for repeatedly leaving the track as he struggled with a braking issue, dropping him to eighth with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso moving up to seventh.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman was ninth and Carlos Sainz, who started at the back of the grid after the Williams cars were disqualified from qualifying, took the final points in 10th.
