Five Takeaways: Singapore Grand Prix

Written by Elaina Russell, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri

The 2025 Singapore Grand Prix was a study in redemption, resilience, and rivalry. Under the floodlights of Marina Bay, George Russell stunned the field with a controlled drive to secure Mercedes’ second win of the season, while McLaren sealed back-to-back Constructors’ Championships amid intra-team tension.

Here are DIVEBOMB’s five key takeaways from race day in Baku.

1. George Russell’s flawless redemption drive

George Russell wins under the lights of Marina Bay | Credit: Formula One

After crashing in practice on Friday, few expected George Russell to emerge as the class of the field this weekend. But on Saturday, he delivered one of the finest weekends of his career–topping Q2 and going on to produce yet another pole-worthy lap in Q3. His margin over Max Verstappen was slim, but the statement was massive: Mercedes manufactured control at a circuit that demands perfection.

From lights to flag, Russell managed every phase of the race impeccably. He kept Verstappen’s soft-tyred Red Bull behind into Turn 1, then managed the gap with metronomic consistency. No lockups, no drama, no cracks under pressure. His fifth career win was as clinical as they come–a showcase of maturity that strengthens his hand amidst ongoing contract negotiations with Mercedes.

2. McLaren clinch title number ten – but not without friction

McLaren needed just 13 points to secure their tenth Constructors’ Championship, and with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing third and fourth respectively, the job got done. But the celebration wasn’t without a little drama.

Norris dived aggressively down the inside of Piastri on Lap 1, forcing slight wheel-to-wheel contact. Piastri’s radio crackled with frustration: “That wasn’t very team-like, but sure…so, are we cool with Lando [Norris] just barging me out of the way?” No penalties were issued, but the moment underlined how fine the balance is between cooperation and competition at Woking.

Even so, both drivers recovered cleanly, finishing third and fourth to clinch McLaren’s first consecutive Constructors’ titles since Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger in 1990 and 1991. Their unity has been a cornerstone of the team’s success – but with both drivers still in the title hunt, that harmony may well be tested.

3. Verstappen keeps the pressure on

Verstappen will look to maintain pressure heading into Round 19 | Credit: Formula One

Max Verstappen has made a habit of extracting everything from a car that’s hardly the class of the field this year. Singapore proved no different. Starting on softs, he briefly threatened Russell at the start, before closing in on the hard tyre stint. The four-time champion then managed relentless pressure from Norris in the second stint to secure a hard-fought second.

The Dutchman’s form since the summer break has been consistent – outscoring both McLaren drivers in three consecutive rounds. He remains mathematically in the championship fight, 63 points behind Piastri and 41 behind Norris, with six Grands Prix and three sprints left. Singapore, however, remains a glaring omission on his victory resume – still no win under the Marina Bay lights. 

4. Alonso delivers another understated masterclass

Amid chaos in the midfield, Fernando Alonso delivered exactly what Aston Martin needed: a calm, calculated drive to eighth that was later promoted to seventh. 

Starting tenth, he executed a long opening stint on softs that lasted far longer than expected, creating a pit window that allowed him to jump two rivals and secure solid points once again.

“It was a very good race for us,” Alonso reflected post-race. “The car felt fast in the first stint, we opened a nice gap with the soft tyre–it lasted longer than we expected, so that was very good news.”

It’s the Spaniard’s seventh points finish in his last ten Grands Prix – a testament to consistency, even if Aston Martin continued to lack the raw pace to challenge for podium positions. 

Lewis Hamilton was docked further following the Grand Prix, falling from seventh to eighth in the finishing order due to track limit issues. | Credit: Formula One

5. Ferrari’s frustration furthers

Lewis Hamilton was docked further following the Grand Prix, falling from seventh to eighth in the finishing order due to track limit issues. | Credit: Formula One

For Ferrari, Singapore was another painful reminder of how far they’ve fallen behind McLaren and Mercedes. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified in the top eight, but that was as good as it got this weekend. 

Leclerc’s race was anonymous, finishing sixth overall. Hamilton’s was worse yet – seventh across the line before a five-second penalty for track limits dropped him to eighth. Ferrari’s weekend haul of just 12 points leaves them 27 points behind Mercedes for second in the Constructors’ standings and under threat from Red Bull, who now sit only eight points adrift. 

Leclerc was brutally honest after the race: “We are struggling massively with the car – it’s not easy. I wish I could say that I’m positive for the rest of the season, [but] I don’t think there’s anything in the car at the moment that proves [to] me we are going to do a step forwards.”

A team once defined by precision and power now looks increasingly short on both.

Looking ahead

As Formula One leaves Singapore, the focus shifts back to the United States, this time in Texas. McLaren may already have the Constructors’ title secured, but with the Drivers’ Championship still in play, the intra-team rivalry between Norris and Piastri could define the final stretch.

For Mercedes, Russell’s win reaffirms their growing confidence, while Verstappen remains the quiet threat. For Ferrari, the question isn’t how to win – it’s how to stop losing ground.