Verstappen breaks Singapore duck as Antonelli closes on title
Max Verstappen has finally conquered Singapore. The Red Bull driver won the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay on 11 October from pole position, leading all 62 laps to beat Charles Leclerc by 7.3 seconds with Kimi Antonelli third. Formula 1
It was commanding and long overdue. Verstappen stopped the clock at 1:42'00.785, with Leclerc 7.335 seconds back in 1:42'08.120. The win was his first in Singapore at the tenth attempt after years of near-misses around the street circuit. Fans voted him Driver of the Day, his fifth in a row.
The result tightened nothing but clarified everything. Antonelli may have finished a step below Verstappen, yet the 20-year-old left Singapore one win from the world title. He leads George Russell by 102 points and Lewis Hamilton by 111, with six rounds and 150 points still to play for. The Guardian
The maths is now simple. Antonelli will clinch the championship at the next race in Austin if he wins with Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower. A first title is close enough to count down.
Hamilton endured a frustrating night. He finished sixth after choosing not to pit under the virtual safety car, a period when drivers must slow down and a cheap pit stop is often on offer. Ferrari said he missed post-race media duties after feeling unwell.
The weekend had already been wild. Verstappen also won Saturday's rain-hit Sprint, which began in chaotic wet conditions and ended with a record nine retirements. Russell crashed out and the two McLarens collided. Russell had earlier set the pace in the sole practice session, ahead of Leclerc and Lando Norris.
What makes this stand out is the shift in pressure. Verstappen is winning again and gathering votes and momentum, but the championship clock is running against everyone else. For fans, this means Austin could deliver a coronation. Antonelli only needs one clean Sunday to turn a season of arithmetic into a title.
