Max Verstappen Wins First Singapore GP Despite Radio Issues
Max Verstappen Claims Maiden Singapore Grand Prix Victory After Dominant Weekend
Je me souviens qu’il m’avait dit l’année dernière à Las Vegas : ‘C’est peut-être la dernière fois que je monte sur le podium.’ Je lui avais répondu : ‘Ne dis pas de bêtises, on va en remporter bien d’autres.’ Mais j’ai failli me porter la poisse, je crois !
a déclaré Verstappen en riant.
Max Verstappen secured his first career victory at the Singapore Grand Prix on October 11, 2026, conquering the Marina Bay street circuit after driving through a weekend that included winning the Saturday sprint race, as rts.ch reported. Before this weekend, the circuit had been one of the missing victories on his calendar alongside Madrid, serving as a long-standing weakness for Red Bull.
The Red Bull Racing driver navigated the tight, bumpy, and wall-lined circuit despite a persistent radio malfunction that left his team unable to hear his vocal responses. According to Motorsport, Verstappen joked after the race that his engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, might have been happy the radio failed, noting that Lambiase had to resort to coded questions to gather feedback during the hot and humid night race.
Verstappen Starts Grand Prix from Pole Position
Verstappen started the main Grand Prix from pole position after setting the fastest time during Saturday evening qualifications, edging out the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, as detailed by Le Matin and blue News. The victory marks a continuation of a strong run of form for the four-time world champion following a difficult first half of the season, which included a second-place finish in Baku at the end of September and a victory in Malaysia following a relocation due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Behind the podium contenders, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured the fourth-fastest qualifying time, followed by reigning world champion Lando Norris in the McLaren. Meanwhile, George Russell faced a difficult weekend following a crash during the Saturday sprint race and a subsequent engine-change penalty that relegated him to the back of the grid in 22nd place, which shifted every competitor starting from the seventh-fastest time back by one position.
Hamilton Urges Ferrari to Pressure Verstappen
Lewis Hamilton, a four-time winner in Singapore, praised Ferrari’s collective pace after securing third on the grid alongside Leclerc’s second-place start. Bluewin noted that Hamilton publicly urged the Scuderia to work together to apply pressure on Verstappen throughout the race weekend.
On the track, Verstappen admitted to facing initial deployment issues off the start line that nearly allowed Leclerc to challenge his position at turn 7. Despite the early mechanical hesitation and the broken radio, the Red Bull driver maintained control across the twists of the Marina Bay layout, which stands as one of the most physically demanding venues on the Formula 1 calendar due to extreme ambient temperatures.
Podium Celebrations and Team Reactions
Following the race, Red Bull surprised Verstappen by bringing his engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, up to the podium alongside the driver. Verstappen noted that he was completely unaware they would do that, adding a lighthearted reflection on a previous conversation they had shared in Las Vegas regarding podium appearances.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.
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