Max Verstappen won a rain-affected Singapore Grand Prix Sprint after George Russell dramatically crashed out from the lead.
After a 30-minute delay for torrential rain, Russell took the lead from pole-sitter Verstappen off the line but lost control of his Mercedes at the end of the first lap and slammed into the barriers.
The crash felt like the final straw in a torrid week for Russell after he retired with a power unit failure from last week’s Grand Prix in Malaysia and will start at the back of the grid for Sunday’s race in Singapore as a result of taking on a new power unit.
Russell is now 89 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who took no risks in the Sprint but benefitted from his Mercedes team-mate’s crash and a last lap collision between McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
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George Russell crashes out shortly after taking the lead at the Singapore Grand Prix
Norris went for a move up the inside of his team-mate at Turn 5 in the battle for fourth but caught the rear wheel of Piastri, sending his team-mate into the barriers.
At the front, Verstappen controlled the Sprint following Russell’s crash with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton following home in second and Charles Leclerc hanging onto third despite tyre troubles.
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Max Verstappen takes the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint
Amidst the chaos, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson claimed an impressive fifth with Haas’ Oliver Bearman in sixth after he overtook Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg in one of the few top 10 overtakes on the Safety Car restart.
Norris limped around on the last lap following his clash with Piastri to take the final points-paying position in eighth as Haas’ Esteban Ocon and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly just missed out on the points.
Nine drivers retired from the Sprint after Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Cadillac’s Sergio Perez collided on the opening lap just before Russell’s crash.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto stopped with reliability issues during the early Safety Car while Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas, Williams’ Alex Albon and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto ran into each other on the restart, then Piastri went out on the last lap.
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live Singapore GP Sprint weekend schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Singapore Grand Prix
Saturday October 10
1pm: Singapore Grand Prix Qualifying build-up
2.30pm: SINGAPORE GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday October 11
11.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP build-up
1pm: THE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Singapore GP reaction
4pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Singapore for the last Sprint weekend of the season with Sunday’s Grand Prix at 1pm (build-up from 11.30am) live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
