George Russell delivered a commanding lights-to-flag victory at the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, keeping his composure under pressure from Max Verstappen to secure Mercedes’ first win at Marina Bay since 2019.
But while Russell celebrated atop the podium, the loudest cheers were reserved for McLaren — as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s combined effort sealed the team’s second consecutive Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship.
Starting from pole, Russell made the perfect getaway under the humid Singapore floodlights, immediately fending off Verstappen’s charge from the front row. The Briton’s early pace was relentless, his Mercedes finding grip and rhythm on the medium tyres as he gradually opened a comfortable buffer of half a second per lap.
Verstappen, starting on the soft compound in a bid to counter the disadvantage of the dirty side of the grid, could do little to challenge. His Red Bull struggled with downshifts in the heavy braking zones, and while his pace was competitive, the Dutchman found himself trailing by nearly 10 seconds when he finally pitted for hard tyres on lap 19.
Russell responded several laps later, emerging with his lead cut to just under four seconds. For a brief moment, a tense duel looked possible. Verstappen slashed the gap to 2.7 seconds, but a lock-up at Turn 14 ended his charge and brought Norris back into the picture.
McLaren Drama at the Start
Behind the leaders, the McLaren duo provided an early flashpoint. As the field streamed through Turn 3, Norris — trying to avoid clipping Verstappen — checked up slightly, only to nudge the side of teammate Oscar Piastri in the process.
Both papaya cars escaped damage – save for a bent front-wing endplate for Norris – but the moment underscored just how finely balanced McLaren’s title-clinching evening would be.
Once the adrenaline settled, the Woking team found its rhythm. Norris established himself in third place, while Piastri recovered from the minor contact to hold off the chasing Ferraris in fourth.
Between them, the pair secured more than enough points to clinch the Constructors’ crown — McLaren only needed 13 points to put the championship beyond reach, and they did it in style under the Singapore lights.
Verstappen Fades, Russell Unstoppable
As the race entered its second half, traffic became a critical factor. The top three encountered a dense pack of backmarkers, but Russell sliced through decisively.
Verstappen, meanwhile, struggled with rear-brake management and lost valuable time navigating the congestion. That opened the door for Norris, who closed to within DRS range of the Red Bull and began harrying the reigning world champion in the final laps.
With Verstappen forced to go defensive, Russell was free to manage his tyres and tempo, cruising to a composed victory — his second win of the season and one that reasserts his credentials as one of F1’s sharpest operators on street circuits.
Late-Stage Battles and McLaren’s Crowning Moment
Once clear of traffic, Norris continued to stalk Verstappen in the closing stages, eager to snatch second place for McLaren. The Bristol-born driver looked poised to make a move with 10 laps remaining, drawing close into Turn 7, but Verstappen defended firmly and never left a true opening.
Norris ultimately followed Verstappen home within DRS range to complete the podium, while Piastri — recovering from early-race frustration over their first-lap contact — finished a strong fourth.
The Australian closed the gap to the podium places but couldn’t quite bridge the final two-second margin to Norris. Still, the combined result secured McLaren’s championship with authority.
Behind them, Andrea Kimi Antonelli impressed once again with a mature fifth-place finish. The Mercedes rookie lost ground at the start to Norris and Charles Leclerc but fought back later in the race, reclaiming a spot from the Monegasque to cement his top-five result.
Leclerc endured a mixed evening: he briefly dropped behind teammate Lewis Hamilton, who had switched to a second set of soft tyres in a late gamble, but regained sixth when Hamilton’s brakes gave out in the final laps.
The seven-time champion — who had been over 40 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso with one lap remaining — crawled to the flag just 0.4 seconds in front of the Aston Martin driver.
Hamilton’s evening ended under a cloud, however, as stewards launched an investigation into potential track-limit violations.
For Mercedes, Russell’s triumph marked a statement of intent after a challenging campaign. For McLaren, it was the culmination of consistency and teamwork that has defined their resurgence.
As the fireworks lit up Marina Bay, the picture was clear: Russell ruled the night, but McLaren ruled the championship.
Formula 1’s toughest street race once again delivered high drama, precise strategy, and a clear reminder — in 2025, the fight at the front remains as fierce as ever.
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