Verstappen cruises to lights-to-flag victory in Singapore
While Ferrari's strategy once again raises eyebrows, Max Verstappen claims his first victory in Singapore.
Max Verstappen has won the race in Singapore after also winning the Sprint.
While Ferrari gambled away their strategy, Leclerc finished second, and championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured third place.
The race started unusually uneventfully: Leclerc got away well at the start but couldn't get past the pole-sitter in Turn 1 – thus, the top six positions remained as they were in qualifying.
Ferrari's Strategy Raises Eyebrows
Even after a VSC period caused by Gabriel Bortoleto in lap eight, who rolled to a stop on the main straight, the drivers did not pit. Somewhat surprisingly, Hamilton, who started on the mediums but had problems with that tire, pitted eleven laps later for his first stop.
Ferrari once again caused bewilderment afterwards: The Scuderia also brought Leclerc in relatively early (Lap 25), which kept him ahead of his teammate and thus compromised his strategy.
Because while it looked like a two-stop strategy for the Brit, the Monegasque was brought into the pits during another VSC. When Lance Stroll stranded and caused another VSC, the Scuderia, contrary to expectations, did not pit the Brit, but Leclerc, who got rid of the unloved medium tires.
Hamilton Falls Down The Order
Hamilton then became easy pickings in the final phase. The Brit fought hard, which led to Antonelli passing Norris and, a little later, also overtaking the Ferrari driver. Shortly thereafter, Norris also passed the seven-time world champion.
In the end, Oscar Piastri also overtook him, finishing fifth, while Hamilton only managed sixth.
Meanwhile, the Scuderia's gamble did not pay off: Leclerc didn't make up nearly enough ground in the final phase, and Ferrari thus let a seemingly secure double podium slip through their fingers.
