Max Verstappen won a chaotic, rain-hit Singapore sprint on Saturday, while George Russell crashed out of the lead and the two McLaren drivers collided late on, RaceFans and Formula 1 reported. It was Verstappen’s first Formula 1 victory in Singapore. The Verstappen Singapore sprint win came after a heavy downpour delayed the start by about 30 minutes.
Rain, a Safety Car and an early crash
Every driver started on intermediate tires. Verstappen lost the lead to Russell right after the start. However, Russell lost control at the end of the first lap and hit the wall, which ended his race and brought out the Safety Car.
The field then ran behind the Safety Car for six laps while the track dried. Several other incidents added to the delay. Lance Stroll hit a barrier after contact with Sergio Perez. Isack Hadjar and Franco Colapinto also retired early.
After the restart, Alexander Albon ran into the back of Gabriel Bortoleto. Valtteri Bottas was caught up as well, and all three cars retired. The stewards planned to review the Williams and Audi contact after the race.
McLaren collide on the final lap
The sprint ended with more drama. On the last lap, Lando Norris dived down the inside of teammate Oscar Piastri at Turn 5. The two cars touched, and Piastri’s race was ruined. Norris carried on but finished eighth, and he was under investigation for the collision.
Top finishers in the sprint
Lewis Hamilton took second for Ferrari and his teammate Charles Leclerc was third. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes finished fourth. Liam Lawson was fifth for Racing Bulls, ahead of Oliver Bearman of Haas in sixth and Nico Hulkenberg of Audi in seventh.
Antonelli still leads the drivers’ championship. Russell dropped further back and now trails by 89 points, according to Formula 1.
Verstappen looks ahead to the grand prix
Verstappen said his start was poor again, and he warned that a similar launch in the grand prix would likely cost him the race. He said he was pleased with the win but wanted the bigger prize. In his words, he wants to win on Sunday, not Saturday.
Qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix followed later on Saturday, with the race on Sunday. The weather will again be a key factor on the street circuit. Fans in Pakistan can follow the race on Sunday afternoon, with the exact start time depending on local broadcast listings.
Sources: RaceFans, Formula1.com.
