Max wins Singapore Sprint: 'I want to win tomorrow'

Published on 10 October 2026 by Misha van der Kroon

Max Verstappen has won the Sprint ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. The Dutchman lost the lead to George Russell at the start but capitalised on the retirement of the British Mercedes driver before going on to take victory. Lewis Hamilton finished second, followed by Charles Leclerc. Kimi Antonelli and Liam Lawson completed the top five in a Sprint marked by heavy rain, multiple crashes and numerous retirements.

Max was not entirely satisfied despite his Sprint victory. “The start was horrendous again,” Verstappen reflected. “That is definitely something we need to improve. But I saw it coming, because we started in second gear. Hopefully, we learn from it now. If that happens tomorrow and nothing else happens, your race is over.” Russell’s retirement worked in Verstappen’s favour, allowing him to control the race on the streets of Singapore. “Of course, we got a bit lucky with what happened to George,” Verstappen admitted. “After that, you just want to keep the race calm and under control. You know you can’t pass around here, especially in these conditions on intermediate tyres. We tried to bring the car home safely.”

Although Max adds eight points to his tally with the victory, he does not see the Sprint as the main objective of the weekend. The Dutchman is already looking ahead to Sunday’s Grand Prix. “I want to win tomorrow. I don’t see this as a win in the same way as winning a Grand Prix,” he said. “We need to have a good qualifying. It will be close with a lot of cars, so we need to make sure we are the best. Hopefully, it will be a good battle.”

The start of the Singapore Sprint is delayed by half an hour due to heavy rainfall. After two formation laps, the track conditions prove inconsistent, with some sections still wet while others are already drying out. This makes for a tricky combination for the intermediate tyres on which the entire field starts. At the start, Max loses his pole position after a poor getaway, allowing George Russell to take the lead. However, the Brit doesn't hold it for long. He loses control of his Mercedes on a wet section of the track, spins and crashes, bringing his race to an end.

Lance Stroll also doesn’t make it through the opening stages. After contact with Sergio Perez, the Canadian has to pull over, while Perez sustains damage to his front wing. Isack Hadjar retires due to technical problems, while Franco Colapinto also comes to a halt behind the Safety Car. Following the retirements of five drivers, the Sprint resumes on lap six. The track is drying quickly, but it is still too early for slick tyres. Max leads the field at the restart, with Lewis Hamilton behind him. The Dutchman retains the lead and manages to pull away from the Ferrari driver.

Further back, there is more trouble. Alexander Albon makes contact with Gabriel Bortoleto, with Valtteri Bottas also caught up in the incident. Albon initially manages to continue, but Bottas and Bortoleto are both out of the Sprint. After running almost a minute behind for several laps, Albon also brings his car into the pits and retires, becoming the eighth driver to drop out of the Sprint.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen continues to extend his lead over Hamilton. Charles Leclerc struggles to match his teammate’s pace and reports over the team radio that his front tyres are suffering. The Monegasque loses ground and becomes involved in a battle for third place with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Norris tries to pass his McLaren teammate, but the move goes badly wrong. The two make contact and run off the track. Norris eventually manages to continue and rejoins in eighth place, but Piastri’s race is over. At that point, there is little sign of McLaren’s much-discussed papaya rules.

At the front, Max remains unchallenged. The Dutchman controls the race and crosses the finish line first in Singapore. Hamilton manages to claw back some of the deficit in the closing stages but finishes second, 2.5 seconds behind. Leclerc completes the podium. Kimi Antonelli makes the most of the chaos, climbing from seventh on the grid to finish fourth. Liam Lawson also has a strong race, securing fifth place at the chequered flag.

Results sprint race Singapore: