Max Verstappen won the sprint ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix – the second Formula One event in a week to be delayed by bad weather, this time for 30 minutes.
This event was postponed when torrential rain arrived on the track some quarter of an hour before the race was due to start. This postponement came six days after the Malaysian Grand Prix was controversially deferred 90 minutes on Sunday because the half-electric engines could not run as the heavens opened.
The Dutchman’s victory around Singapore’s street circuit was achieved after George Russell crashed out while leading. ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry,’ said Russell to his team.
The British driver was in command of proceedings but he then slipped on to the white line on the final bend of the opening lap, and that was him done. He skewed over the track to the other side and glanced the wall.
Verstappen went on to triumph by 2.5 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who finished second for Ferrari, roaring up from sixth on the grid after an excellent start in which he gobbled up ground. His team-mate Charles Leclerc came third, while the McLarens of world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri crashed at the end.
Russell, who shook his head disconsolately as he climbed out of his Mercedes, had made a perfect getaway, passing Verstappen, who started in pole position.
Max Verstappen claimed victory in the sprint race at the Singapore Grand Prix
George Russell made the perfect start but crashed out following a misjudgement
It was still wet on the Marina Bay Circuit at this stage, but the spray was not in Russell’s face but on those of them behind him. He made an ‘unforced’ error – and his world championship campaign is over.
Though those hopes had already withered on the vine, truth be told, and now fourth-placed Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader, heads Russell by 88 points going into qualifying later today, at 2.30pm BST, a session delayed by half an hour as a result of the earlier interruption.
There is a maximum of 175 points remaining to be won, if all the scheduled rounds go ahead, despite the war in the Middle East, with races scheduled for Qatar and Abu Dhabi in the last week of November and the first of December.
They remain on the calendar for now. Imola is an option should either or both be called off.
