Max Verstappen Dominates the Singapore Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton’s Strategy Falls Apart
Max Verstappen delivered a near-perfect weekend at the 2026 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, winning both the sprint and the main race from pole position. The result strengthened his late-season momentum and could put him in contention for second place in the championship standings.
Verstappen, currently fourth in the standings, insists that the position itself is not his main concern. “I hope we can continue this momentum. There’s nothing to win in a championship, right? I think you’re miles ahead. Personally, I don’t care if I’m second, third or fourth. It doesn’t help anything, but I just want to enjoy it to the end,” he said.
The Red Bull driven by Max Verstappen may have been faster than any other car-and-driver combination on the grid.
Credit: Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
Verstappen completes a perfect Singapore weekend
Verstappen took pole position for both the sprint and the race, then won both events. The only major achievement that escaped him was the fastest lap, which went to Charles Leclerc, who finished second in the Grand Prix.
The result was expected to produce a double podium for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, however, did not have the same pace as Leclerc and began the race on medium tires rather than the soft compound used by his teammate.
Hamilton’s risky tire strategy backfires
Hamilton’s medium tires did not last long. He stopped on lap 17 and switched to soft tires, leaving most of the 62-lap race still to run.
When Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin suffered a routine breakdown, the incident created a de facto safety-car period. Hamilton then made a costly strategic decision, stopping cheaply despite his team’s instructions to pit behind Leclerc.
By staying out on increasingly damaged tires, the seven-time champion became vulnerable to the cars behind him. He dropped from third to sixth before apologizing to his team over the radio.
More teammate battles in Singapore
One of the golden rules of Formula 1 is simple: do not hit your teammate. Yet teammate battles have been a recurring feature of the season.
When cars are closely matched and two teammates qualify near each other, they are naturally likely to race side by side. Haas teammates Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon demonstrated how to fight cleanly on the third lap, running alongside each other through several corners.
The battle was relegated to a small picture-in-picture window during the broadcast. A few laps later, Bearman also held up Carlos Sainz’s Williams.
Source: arstechnica.com