Verstappen vs Ferrari, recovery drives and wet conditions: What to expect in the Singapore Grand Prix
Formula One’s original night race is back, and this time hosting a sprint round for the first time since its introduction on the calendar. Known to be a bogey track for Max Verstappen, it seems as though under the new regulations, the Dutchman has finally dialled it in at the Marina Bay Street Circuit — scoring sprint pole, sprint win and Grand Prix pole this weekend.
After a dramatic sprint that saw George Russell crash out from the lead and an exciting qualifying session where Verstappen clinched his 50th career pole, here’s everything to look out for in the main event under the lights.
Max Verstappen starts on pole for the first time in Singapore, with two Ferrari drivers lining up behind him. From this exciting top three to the potential for wet weather, here are five things to look forward to in the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix.
Verstappen vs Ferrari
The last time Verstappen started on the front row alongside two Ferraris in Singapore was back in 2017, which was the scene of the infamous collision between Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Kimi Räikkönen on the opening lap.
Fast forward to 2026, and we have the same Red Bull driver but two different Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc starting in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.
Verstappen has been on a purple patch in recent rounds, securing his first win of the season last time out in Sepang after a number of podiums signalling the car’s potential. While Singapore has always been Verstappen’s Achilles heel, this time, a clean sweep seems genuinely possible for the Dutchman.
Verstappen will be eager to take a long-sought first Singapore Grand Prix victory, but will no doubt have to fend off the mighty Ferrari pair behind.
Hamilton in particular has been right on the pace all weekend, but crucially lost his competitiveness in Q3 while Leclerc converted his steady performance into a second-place start for the Grand Prix.
With Mercedes out of the picture at the start, Verstappen will need to be vigilant of the quick-launching Ferraris as they aim to seize the lead. Will the Scuderia pair work together to pile the pressure on Verstappen, or will it be an all-out brawl between the top three for the race win?
Antonelli inching closer to the biggest trophy
Kimi Antonelli is in that phase of a championship contender’s season where the heavy-lifting is done, and what remains is to safely bring the car home each round and keep a steady stream of points trickling in.
The Italian driver is 89 points clear of Russell after the Briton’s sprint crash, and will be counting down the days until he can lift the World Drivers’ Championship trophy.
Antonelli can possibly clinch the title as early as the upcoming round in Austin, Texas, if he manages to outscore Russell by 12 points at this round. Following that, if Antonelli can stretch his lead to at least 126 points clear of Russell after the United States Grand Prix, the title is his.
All of these permutations will no doubt be in Antonelli’s mind during the Singapore Grand Prix, and it will be interesting to see whether the Mercedes driver will approach the race with caution or will put his pedal to the metal and push for a win starting from fourth.
With Russell all the way at the back of the grid following engine penalties, Antonelli’s path is clear for a title celebration as early as the next round if he can maximise his points tally in Singapore too.
Big names on recovery drives
Both Russell and Isack Hadjar in two of the quickest cars this season will be starting at the back of the grid, Russell after taking additional power unit components and Hadjar after being unable to set a time during qualifying.
Hadjar pulled out of the sprint early with reliability concerns, with his garage having their work cut out ahead of qualifying. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, the issues persisted despite attempts to repair the car, and Hadjar was left without a time set during the session.
With both Russell and Hadjar starting at the back, expect some action at the start as the pair attempt to climb their way back up through the midfield, overtaking relatively slower cars in their quest to re-enter the points.
Papaya rules?
During the dying moments of the sprint, Lando Norris collided with teammate Oscar Piastri, taking the Australian driver out of the race and effectively plundering a good points haul for McLaren as they battle Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
The pair start fifth and sixth for the Grand Prix, with Norris in the lead, and though both drivers seem to have cleared the air, tensions could still be brewing between them as they line up for the Sunday race.
With their main competitors out of reach, Verstappen on pole and Hadjar at the back of the grid, the Papaya pair could have a lonely race unless they begin going wheel-to-wheel with each other once more for positional advantages.
Potential wet weather
The threat of rain isn’t as close today compared to yesterday’s showers that led to a delayed sprint start, but rainfall during the afternoon can still set us up for damp conditions ahead of the race.
Nonetheless, cells of rain during the Grand Prix can’t be discounted, if the previous round hosted in Malaysia is to be considered.
The sprint saw the entire field bolt on the intermediates as the lights went out, no one brave enough to gamble with the slicks, and the Grand Prix could see a similar situation if the forecast indicates showers minutes before the race start.
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