Source: Official Team Post via X
Power Rankings: Verstappen Shines, Others Impress at Singapore Grand Prix
Max Verstappen finally conquered the Marina Bay Street Circuit with a commanding performance. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli also caught the judges' eyes with strong showings.
Max Verstappen left no room for doubt at the Singapore Grand Prix, clinching his first victory at the Marina Bay Street Circuit after ten attempts. Making the most of Red Bull's latest upgrades, Verstappen was unmatched throughout the weekend, excelling in Sprint Qualifying, the Sprint, main Qualifying, and the Grand Prix itself. Our judges were unanimous in their praise, labeling it a flawless performance.
Charles Leclerc was Verstappen's nearest competitor, securing second place in qualifying and putting pressure on Verstappen during the race's early stages. Although he couldn't quite match Verstappen's pace, Leclerc's second-place finish was a commendable result for both him and Ferrari.
Nico Hulkenberg, driving for Audi, finally saw his efforts rewarded after narrowly missing out on points multiple times this season. Despite not making it to SQ3/Q3, Hulkenberg capitalized on the chaos ahead, earning points in the Sprint and navigating to an eighth-place finish in the Grand Prix, managing to fend off Mercedes' George Russell.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli had a busy weekend as he worked hard to adapt to recent updates on the W17, while teammate Russell opted for an older setup. Despite a challenging Sprint Qualifying, Antonelli improved in the Sprint and secured fourth in main Qualifying, ultimately converting it into a podium finish. This result brings him tantalizingly close to clinching the 2026 title.
Ollie Bearman led the Haas effort under the Singapore lights, outperforming his outgoing teammate Esteban Ocon in every session. His highlight was a sixth-place finish in the Sprint, where he took advantage of a McLaren clash. Though he didn't score more points in the Grand Prix, his strategic overtakes in the midfield were noteworthy.
Lewis Hamilton seemed poised for a podium alongside teammate Leclerc, even after starting on less favorable medium tires. However, a strategic gamble to stay out on softs during a mid-race Virtual Safety Car saw him slip to sixth. Hamilton later apologized for the decision, acknowledging that his pace could have delivered more.
Oscar Piastri had a promising start with a fourth-place finish in Sprint Qualifying, ahead of reigning World Champion Lando Norris. However, drama ensued during the Sprint when Norris inadvertently spun Piastri into the wall on the final lap. Despite this setback, Norris again had the upper hand in Qualifying and the Grand Prix, with Piastri's race further hindered by a slow puncture.
At Williams, Carlos Sainz led the charge against teammate Alex Albon, turning a pit lane start into a 12th-place finish in the Sprint. He made it into Q2 in main Qualifying and fought to 14th in the Grand Prix, extracting the maximum from the beleaguered FW48.
Pierre Gasly impressed with his one-lap pace, getting his Alpine into SQ3 and Q3. Although he narrowly missed out on points in both the Sprint and Grand Prix, finishing ninth and 11th respectively, his performance was a bright spot in Alpine's battle against Racing Bulls.
Just outside the top rankings were Lando Norris, following his collision with Piastri, and Isack Hadjar, who managed to score points from a pit lane start despite technical issues throughout the weekend.