The Red Bull driver completed the race in 39 minutes 48.162 seconds, finishing 2.591 seconds ahead of Hamilton, with Leclerc a further 14.280 seconds behind in third.
The sprint at the Marina Bay Street Circuit was delayed by more than 30 minutes following heavy rain, with difficult conditions and multiple incidents producing a race of unusually high attrition. Nine cars retired, according to Reuters.
Russell loses the lead after dramatic crash
Starting from the front row alongside polesitter Verstappen, Mercedes driver Russell made an excellent getaway and moved ahead of the Dutchman on the opening lap.
However, his lead lasted only briefly. Russell lost control at the final corner of the first lap after running over a slippery white line, sliding into the pit-lane wall and triggering a Safety Car period.
The incident handed Verstappen the lead, which he retained after the restart. Russell’s retirement was a major setback, particularly as he had been in a position to challenge for valuable championship points.
Verstappen controls the race in changing conditions
With the track gradually drying, Verstappen managed his intermediate tyres effectively and built a comfortable advantage over the chasing Ferraris.
Hamilton also produced an impressive performance. Starting sixth, the seven-time world champion surged through the field to take third before Russell’s crash promoted him to second.
Despite Hamilton’s late efforts to close the gap, Verstappen maintained his composure to secure the win and collect eight sprint points.
McLaren collision changes the battle for fourth
The closing stages brought further drama when McLaren team-mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made contact while fighting for fourth and fifth.
Norris tagged Piastri into a spin at Turn 5. Norris recovered to finish eighth and collect the final point, while Piastri stopped and was classified 14th, a lap down.
Mercedes’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli benefited from the incident to finish fourth, strengthening his position in the drivers’ title fight.
Singapore sprint results
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 1st – 39:48.162
• Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari): 2nd – +2.591s
• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): 3rd – +16.871s
• Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes): 4th – +17.238s
• Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls): 5th – +20.632s
• Oliver Bearman (Haas): 6th
• Nico Hülkenberg (Audi): 7th
• Lando Norris (McLaren): 8th
Qualifying and Grand Prix still to come
Verstappen’s sprint triumph gives Red Bull momentum heading into the remainder of the Singapore weekend. However, the main Grand Prix remains the bigger prize, with qualifying scheduled for Saturday and the full race on Sunday, 11 October.
For Hamilton and Ferrari, the podium offers encouragement, while Mercedes will be left to assess the consequences of Russell’s costly mistake. McLaren, meanwhile, must address the late collision between its drivers as the championship battle continues.
The sprint delivered eight points for Verstappen, seven for Hamilton and six for Leclerc, setting the stage for another competitive session at Marina Bay.