05/10/2025 15:46
George Russell converted pole position into victory with ease in
the Singapore Grand Prix, as another incident between the McLaren
drivers overshadowed the team winning the constructors' title.
While Russell cruised to the win at the Marina Bay Circuit, McLaren
scored the 13 points it needed to win a second consecutive
championship. However, it came under controversial circumstances,
as Lando Norris made contact with Oscar Piastri on the first lap.
Piastri was forced wide by his team-mate at Turn 3 which saw the
Australian drop to fourth, while Norris jumped from fifth to third
in the opening corners. The British driver remained in third for
the rest of the race despite having challenged Max Verstappen for
second. Issues with Verstappen's RB21 resulted in a tricky evening
for the Dutchman, although he kept hold of second after a great
defensive display ahead of Norris. Piastri finished in fourth but
was furious with McLaren, while Kimi Antonelli completed the top
five. The result moves Norris to within 22 points of Piastri, with
Verstappen now 63 adrift. Norris barges past furious Piastri A
short rain shower caused tyre chaos ahead of the grand prix with
the second and third sector having become damp, while the first
sector remained dry. Despite the major tyre conundrum, all drivers
opted to start on slick tyres – Verstappen was alone on the softs
in the top seven. Only 18 drivers took to the grid, as Alex Albon
and Pierre Gasly started from the pit lane. With pole-sitter
Russell on new medium tyres and Verstappen on used softs, it was
still the Briton who made the best launch from the line and led
into the first corner. Verstappen was slow off the line but
remained in second. Behind the lead duo, Norris had a mighty start
from fifth and quickly moved into third, barging past team-mate
Piastri at Turn 3. Piastri almost found himself in the wall with
contact having been made, infuriating the championship leader.
Crucially, Norris also made marginal contact with the rear of
Verstappen, resulting in a broken, but manageable front wind
end-plate. Piastri was left furious, particularly after McLaren
decided to take no action. The race quickly settled after the
opening corners, with Russell having built a 3.6s lead over
Verstappen by the start of the eighth lap. Russell led comfortably
from Verstappen, Norris, Piastri and Leclerc. Verstappen continued
to fall further behind and complained of poor downshifts, an issue
he has experienced several times this season in his RB21. The gap
had increased to almost six seconds by lap 12, while Norris hovered
just over one-second adrift of the four-time world champion.
Towards the back, the first pit stop action took place at the end
of lap 13, as both Yuki Tsunoda and Gabriel Bortoleto pitted.
Meanwhile, Norris clipped the Turn 17 wall. Norris remained close
to Verstappen, with Red Bull having pitted the 28-year-old at the
end of lap 19. Interestingly, McLaren did not immediately respond
the following lap. However, Ferrari did pit Leclerc from fifth at
the end of lap 21, while Russell pitted from the lead at the end of
lap 25. It put McLaren into yet another difficult position, as both
Norris and Piastri needed to pit due to Verstappen, Leclerc and
Russell having fresher tyres. Norris challenges Verstappen McLaren,
on this occasion, did immediately react, by pitting Norris at the
end of lap 26. He rejoined the circuit behind Russell and,
crucially, 3.5s behind Verstappen. Norris' advantage, though, was
seven-lap fresher tyres. Piastri was then called in for his pit
stop at the end of lap 27, with the Australian having rejoined in
fourth but 10 seconds adrift of Norris after a slow pit stop. With
the lead drivers having all pitted for hard tyres, Russell led by
3.6s from Verstappen, who had a 4.5s advantage over Norris –
Piastri was 10 seconds behind his team-mate in a lonely fourth.
Verstappen had excellent pace and started to close on Russell,
chipping away at the Mercedes driver's lead lap after lap. The gap
had reduced to 2.8s on lap 35; however, a huge lock-up by
Verstappen at Turn 14 saw it increase to five seconds. The reigning
world champion complained once again about his RB21, with his hard
work having been ruined. It also brought Norris back to within two
seconds of him. At the back Nico Hulkenberg had a huge spin at Turn
7 on lap 44, but escaped unscathed. A period of calm took place
with everyone managing their tyres, but the leaders lapping traffic
brought Norris within DRS range on lap 46. Norris remained within
DRS range for the remainder of the race, but failed to find a way
past. Out front, Russell cruised to take the chequered flag by
just over five seconds, ahead of Verstappen and Norris. Piastri had
gotten to within three seconds of his team-mate, but had no choice
but to settle for fourth. Antonelli, Leclerc, Hamilton, Fernando
Alonso, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10. No
drivers retired from the race.
