McLaren’s Lando Norris achieved his third career victory, reducing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s lead in the F1 standings.

Lando Norris, a rising star in Formula One and a title contender, delivered an exceptional performance at the Singapore Grand Prix, leading from pole position to the chequered flag to secure his third career victory. His triumph at the Marina Bay Street Circuit brought him closer to the championship leader, Max Verstappen, who finished second. This victory marked Norris’ first win from pole, achieved in his sixth attempt, and importantly tightened the competition in the drivers’ championship.

Norris’ McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, also impressed with a third-place finish, contributing to McLaren’s growing dominance in the constructors’ championship. Piastri’s strong result, coupled with a disappointing 10th-place finish for Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, extended McLaren’s lead over Red Bull in the team standings to 41 points.

The Singapore Grand Prix, known for its typically chaotic races, was notably incident-free this year, marking the first time in the event’s 15-race history that a safety car was not deployed. The race ran smoothly over 62 laps, with Norris controlling the pace and strategy from the front. By the end of the race, he had narrowed Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ standings to 52 points, with six races and three sprint events remaining in the season.

Norris had an unprecedented start, getting away cleanly from pole position and maintaining his lead over Verstappen into the first corner. Behind them, Lewis Hamilton, who started on softer tyres in third place, tried to pressure Verstappen but was unable to overtake the Dutchman. Verstappen defended his position successfully, and all the drivers made it through the opening lap without incident.

As the race progressed, Norris began to pull away from Verstappen, establishing a gap of more than a second early on. Hamilton, the only front-runner to start on soft tyres, found himself at a disadvantage as he was forced to pit early on lap 18 due to tyre degradation. His strategy aimed for a long stint on the new tyres, but after just five laps, he reported struggling with the fresh rubber.

Meanwhile, Norris continued to extend his lead, building a comfortable margin of 20 seconds over Verstappen by lap 26. Despite a few close encounters with the walls of the demanding Singapore street circuit, Norris remained composed and secured a commanding victory. Reflecting on his performance, Norris described the race as “amazing” but acknowledged the challenges. “A few too many close calls, I had a couple of close moments in the middle, but it was well-managed. I could push, we were flying the whole race. Still tough, I’m a bit out of breath, but a good one,” he said.

Piastri, who started fifth on the grid, benefited from a well-executed strategy to overtake both Hamilton and George Russell in the second Mercedes, securing the final podium spot. “It was a good race, a good recovery from qualifying – it wasn’t my best afternoon yesterday,” said Piastri, expressing gratitude to his team for delivering a competitive car. His performance reinforced McLaren’s strength, adding crucial points to their constructors’ championship campaign.

Verstappen, who had anticipated a challenging weekend for Red Bull, admitted that his race was relatively uneventful, with little opportunity to challenge Norris for the win. “My race was just by myself, doing the best I could, managing my own race,” said Verstappen. “On a weekend we knew we were going to struggle, P2 is a good achievement. But now we need to improve, and that’s what we’ll do.”

Hamilton, who had pitted early, struggled towards the end of the race on much older tyres than his competitors. He eventually lost another position to Charles Leclerc, who had started from ninth on the grid in his Ferrari. Leclerc finished fifth, ahead of Hamilton, while Carlos Sainz, in the second Ferrari, crossed the line in seventh.

The top 10 was rounded out by Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, and Perez, who endured a difficult race after a poor qualifying session. McLaren’s strong performance in Singapore highlighted their recent progress, while Red Bull faced a rare setback. With the championship battle intensifying, the final races of the season promise to deliver thrilling action as Norris and McLaren continue to chase Verstappen and Red Bull.