Winners and Losers from the F1 Singapore Grand Prix

The closing race of a gruelling triple-header often strains teams and drivers to their limits, where paddock fatigue collides with political tension, strategic disagreements, and costly unforced errors. While the Singapore Grand Prix weekend unfolded without excessive off-track controversy, critical split-second choices defined the final standings. From emotional farewells and high-profile strategic missteps to growing championship maturity, the weekend served as a crucial turning point for several title contenders and midfield operations alike.

An Emotional Milestone for Red Bull: Verstappen and Lambiase Sweep Singapore

While Max Verstappen headlined the timing screens by mastering Red Bull Racing’s historically difficult circuit, the true focal point of the team’s triumph was his longtime race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase. In what turned out to be a defining moment, Red Bull sent a visibly emotional Lambiase onto the podium to hoist the constructors’ trophy. The gesture holds deep meaning: it may stand as the British engineer’s final race victory directly coaching Verstappen from the pit wall.

Lambiase is set to be phased out at Red Bull ahead of a confirmed switch to McLaren, with Tom Hart stepping in as his successor. Hart is already scheduled to take over radio communications for several upcoming grands prix this season. Consequently, even with Red Bull’s recent resurgence in pace, there is no certainty that the record-breaking pairing will add to their collective tally of 73 grand prix victories. Overcoming a minor radio glitch during the race, the duo executed a complete sweep of the sprint and main grand prix to close out their partnership at the top step.

Ferrari Strategy Scrutiny and Lewis Hamilton’s Self-Inflicted Setback

Inside Ferrari’s hospitality unit, team principal Fred Vasseur found himself batting away fierce criticism regarding the team’s race decisions. Ferrari split the strategies of its drivers, sending Charles Leclerc out on softs and placing Lewis Hamilton on medium compound tyres in an effort to disrupt Verstappen’s lead. However, the medium tyre degraded severely on the Singapore asphalt—a pitfall McLaren sidestepped by putting both cars on softs.

While taking Hamilton off the underperforming medium rubber was unavoidable, the critical error unfolded during a Virtual Safety Car period. The pit wall called Hamilton in for a double-stack pitstop, but the British driver opted not to enter the pitlane. The decision forced Hamilton to manage an excessively prolonged second stint on soft tyres, dropping him to a sixth-place finish while a double podium slipped away. When pressed on the handling of the race, Vasseur bristled at the media scrutiny: Did you ask this many questions to McLaren, yesterday?

McLaren Friction and Norris’s Reflections

McLaren had faced its own share of tough questioning following Saturday’s 20-lap sprint race. A late dive from Lando Norris on teammate Oscar Piastri sparked another tense flashpoint in the team’s ongoing “papaya rules” dynamic. By Sunday, however, Norris adopted a more contrite mindset after an untidy initial overtake attempt on Hamilton during the Grand Prix.

Addressing the press after the race, Norris admitted fault for his aggressive driving: I can’t attempt what I did, Norris said. I should never have attempted it in the first place, even if the move was on. I’ve got to think more of the team I represent than myself. It was a mistake on my part, and I let down the team.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella highlighted that Norris’s subsequent teamwork—offering to hold up Hamilton to aid Piastri—better reflected the conduct the team expects. Nevertheless, Stella noted that internal discussions will take place prior to the United States Grand Prix to completely resolve lingering tensions.

Antonelli’s Maturity and Honda’s Reliability Crisis

For Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the path to a first world championship is rapidly solidifying, with a theoretical chance to seal the crown at the next round in Austin. Despite the monumental pressure, the 20-year-old Italian dismissed evasive clichés when asked about managing the points gap to Verstappen, admitting: Yeah, I know, because it would be very scary. It would be very, very scary.

Reflecting on the title fight, Antonelli acknowledged his proximity to the ultimate prize while demanding more from himself: For sure. I know it’s very close, I know it’s there, he said. But I just need to make sure that I keep doing the best I can. This weekend I haven’t particularly driven that well. I felt like I could have done a better job. But I feel confident that I have a week to reset. If I don’t do my job well, then the result won’t come. So in order to achieve what I want, I need to perform. It’s as simple as that.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Aston Martin and Honda endured a devastating weekend. On a track layout expected to favor the AMR26 chassis and its Honda power unit, persistent engine faults crippled the team from the outset. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were forced into pitlane starts, rendering points unreachable and squandering the momentum gathered from Alonso’s recent scoring performance in Malaysia.

Why This Matters

The outcomes in Singapore set up monumental shifts across the grid heading into the final stages of the championship campaign. Red Bull’s transition on the pit wall marks the closing chapter of one of Formula 1’s most statistically dominant driver-engineer relationships, testing whether Verstappen can maintain peak execution under Tom Hart. Meanwhile, McLaren’s internal racing protocols remain under intense pressure, requiring firm intervention from Andrea Stella to prevent intra-team collisions from interfering with their championship goals. With Antonelli holding match point in the United States and Aston Martin grappling with engine reliability concerns, the upcoming race at the Circuit of the Americas will serve as a decisive proving ground for titles, team dynamics, and technical development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Lewis Hamilton finish sixth despite Ferrari’s strong pace?

Hamilton started on the medium tyre, which suffered from unexpectedly severe degradation. When a Virtual Safety Car emerged, Ferrari called him in for a double-stack pitstop alongside Charles Leclerc, but Hamilton chose to stay out. He was subsequently left on an excessively long, worn soft-tyre stint, causing him to fall back to sixth position.

Is Gianpiero Lambiase permanently leaving Max Verstappen’s pit wall?

Yes. Lambiase will be phased out as Verstappen’s race engineer ahead of an eventual move to McLaren. Tom Hart is set to replace him on the team radio for several remaining races this season, making the Singapore Grand Prix potentially the last win for the Verstappen-Lambiase partnership.

Can Andrea Kimi Antonelli win the world championship at the next grand prix?

Yes. Heading into the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Antonelli has built a sufficient points advantage that makes it mathematically possible for him to secure his maiden championship title depending on results.