George Russell claimed an impressive victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, mastering the intense heat and humidity to deliver Mercedes their first win since Canada. But the headlines belonged to McLaren, as contact between title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri reignited tensions within the team — even as McLaren sealed the Constructors’ Championship with six races to spare.
Norris clipped Piastri on the opening lap while diving past at Turn 1, a move that left the Australian furious and questioning the team’s lack of intervention. “That wasn’t very team-like,” he said over the radio. “Are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way?”
The incident overshadowed McLaren’s celebrations, with Piastri calling the decision “not fair” as Norris went on to finish third behind Max Verstappen, while Piastri recovered to fourth after a slow pit stop. The result trimmed Piastri’s championship lead to 22 points over Norris, with Verstappen 63 points adrift heading into the final stretch of the season.
McLaren’s Constructors’ Triumph Overshadowed
McLaren’s dominance across 2025 was finally rewarded in Singapore, as the team clinched back-to-back Constructors’ Championships. Yet their milestone was clouded by growing internal friction. The Turn 1 contact between Norris and Piastri was the latest flashpoint in a series of controversial team decisions stretching back to Hungary, Italy, and now Singapore.
Norris defended his move as “just racing,” while McLaren’s engineers decided against issuing team orders during the race, stating that Norris had been avoiding Verstappen. Despite securing the title, the British squad faces mounting scrutiny over how it manages two fiercely competitive drivers both fighting for their first world championship.
Russell Dominates as Verstappen Holds Off Norris
At the front, George Russell delivered a commanding performance to secure his second win of the season, leading from start to finish with calm authority. Verstappen’s choice to start on soft tyres failed to pay off, as he struggled for grip early on but managed to defend second from Norris in a tense closing battle.
Norris stayed within DRS range for the final ten laps but couldn’t find a way past, with Verstappen hanging on despite an error at Turns 16 and 17 that nearly opened the door. Piastri, meanwhile, closed the gap after his slow stop but ran out of laps before joining the fight for the podium.
Antonelli Impresses, Alonso Frustrated
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli continued his strong rookie campaign, overtaking Charles Leclerc late in the race to secure fifth place and holding off Lewis Hamilton in the final laps. Hamilton’s aggressive late pit stop strategy nearly paid off, but brake troubles forced him to back off and defend from Fernando Alonso, who eventually inherited seventh after Hamilton received a time penalty for repeated track limits violations.
Alonso had earlier engaged in spirited battles with Isack Hadjar and Oliver Bearman, ultimately climbing to seventh after a strong drive in sweltering conditions. Behind him, Bearman took ninth for Haas, with Williams’ Carlos Sainz rounding out the top ten.
What’s Next?
Formula 1 now heads to the United States for the Austin Grand Prix from 17–19 October — the first of three sprint weekends in the final six races. With up to 33 points available, Norris has a crucial chance to close the gap on Piastri, while Verstappen’s resurgence adds yet another layer to an increasingly tense title fight.
