George Russell exorcised his Marina Bay ghosts on Sunday, steering his Mercedes to a commanding victory in the Singapore Grand Prix — while McLaren celebrated a historic back-to-back constructors’ championship with six races still to run.
The night race unfolded under humid skies and raw tension. From pole, Russell executed a flawless getaway, keeping Max Verstappen’s Red Bull at bay as chaos brewed behind them. Lando Norris, starting fifth, launched a daring double overtake on Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and teammate Oscar Piastri at the first corner, brushing wheels with both. The McLaren garage winced; sparks literally flew.
Piastri fumed on team radio — “So are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way there?” — but McLaren’s pit wall stayed silent, vowing to “review after the race.” By the time calm returned, the orange duo were running nose-to-tail behind Verstappen and Russell, their rivalry as hot as the Singapore air.
Russell, who crashed from contention on the final lap here in 2023, controlled the pace masterfully this time. By lap 40, he had stretched his lead to double digits, holding off Verstappen’s late push as Norris and Piastri squabbled behind. “This feels like redemption,” the Briton said. “Two years ago I hit the wall chasing glory — tonight, we nailed it. It’s a brutal race in this heat, but that made the win even sweeter.”
Verstappen admitted his Red Bull “just didn’t have the legs,” citing gearbox issues and limited overtaking chances on the tight circuit. “Around here, even if you’re faster, you need something crazy to happen,” he said after settling for second — a result that keeps him third in the standings, 63 points behind Piastri.
For McLaren, the night was pure celebration. Norris finished third and Piastri fourth, enough to secure the team’s 10th constructors’ crown and equal Red Bull’s record of clinching the title with six races remaining. CEO Zak Brown called it “a dream season built on fearless racing.”
“They’ve pushed each other all year — hard, but fair,” Brown said. “You can’t win championships with one superstar. You need two.”
Behind the frontrunners, Mercedes rookie Antonelli impressed with a composed fifth-place finish ahead of Charles Leclerc, while Lewis Hamilton’s evening unraveled with fading brakes and a five-second penalty that dropped him from fifth to eighth. Fernando Alonso and young Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman rounded out the points.
The sweltering Singapore night also debuted Formula One’s new “Heat Hazard” protocol, requiring teams to have liquid-cooled vests on standby for drivers. With track temperatures dipping below forecasts, few opted to wear them — Verstappen among them. “Maybe next time I will,” he joked after stepping out of the car drenched in sweat.
As the fireworks lit up Marina Bay, it was Russell who stood tallest, finally conquering the race that once broke him — and McLaren who walked away with the bigger prize, sealing a championship months before Abu Dhabi.
In the tropical haze, two stories intertwined: one of redemption, and another of domination.