Russell Triumphs at Singapore GP Showdown as McLaren Clinch Constructors’ Championship Title

With five races in the calendar to go, the Singapore Grand Prix saw heightened tensions as the street circuit concluded the Constructors’ Championship and marked the nearing end of the Drivers’ Championship.

Qualifying for the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix saw George Russell take pole position, ahead of Max Verstappen, who has shown renewed form in recent races and is firmly back in contention for the Drivers’ Championship. Oscar Piastri completed the top three. Misfortune struck Williams, however, as both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon were disqualified from qualifying after the DRS flap on their cars was found to exceed the FIA’s maximum permitted limit.

George Russell managed his race flawlessly, maintaining his lead throughout to take a commanding victory

With the Constructors’ Championship within reach, McLaren fans eagerly anticipated the intra-team battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The tension was palpable from the opening laps, particularly into Turn 3. Norris, starting fifth behind Kimi Antonelli, made contact with both Verstappen and Piastri — an incident that left Oscar visibly frustrated and questioning whether Lando would face the same team orders that led to a position swap in Monza following a slow pit stop.

While no team orders were issued during this race, mishap returned to McLaren in the pits. Piastri, stopping after Norris, suffered a slow pit stop that dropped him to fourth place, directly behind his teammate, as both crossed the line to secure McLaren’s Constructors’ Championship.

As the dust settles in Singapore, McLaren celebrates a hard-fought triumph, yet the battle for the Drivers’ Championship remains

Under Singapore’s sweltering night heat, the 62-lap street race tested every driver’s endurance. George Russell managed his race flawlessly, maintaining his lead throughout to take a commanding victory – a personal redemption after his heartbreaking crash at Marina Bay in 2023. Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, finished fifth, boosting Mercedes to second place in the Constructors’ standings.

While Verstappen managed to hold off Norris to finish second, Piastri’s fourth place was enough to retain the Drivers’ Championship lead by 22 points. The battle for second in the Constructors’ standings now intensifies between Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.

Ferrari dropped to third after Charles Leclerc finished sixth, and Lewis Hamilton, who came into the weekend following the loss of his beloved dog Roscoe, ended eighth after receiving a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.

Despite starting from the back after their qualifying disqualification, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon produced impressive recovery drives to finish 10th and 14th, respectively.

As the dust settles in Singapore, McLaren celebrates a hard-fought triumph, yet the battle for the Drivers’ Championship remains. With Piastri, Norris, and Verstappen all still in striking distance, fans now turn their attention to Texas, where the fight for the World Championship title persists.