Verstappen wins sprint in Singapore with collision between McLaren

O max Verstappen (Red Bull) today won the sprint race of the Singapore Grand Prix Formula One, 17th round of the season, and ranked fifth in the world championship.

Verstappen, who left the pole position, beat the British Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), second ranked for 2,591 seconds with Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) in third position, at 16,871.

The Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) finished fourth and extended to 89 points the lead of the World Cup over the British teammate George Russell, who abandoned.

The heavy rain before the race delayed the departure and left difficult conditions of adhesion in the Marina Bay urban circuit, in a race of 20 laps marked by several accidents.

Verstappen, who had won the pole position, escaped the incidents and secured the victory, while the dispute for the following places had a turn in the last lap.

“The match is again horrible, so we have to improve that aspect, because if it happens tomorrow [Sunday], the race is compromised,” said the winner, in the end.

The Australian Oscar Piastri and the British Lando Norris, both from McLaren, collided at turn five when they followed after Leclerc, at a time when the champion of the world in title tried to overcome his teammate.

As a result, Piastri abandoned and Norris fell to eighth, raising only one point. Norris' maneuver is being investigated by the commissioners.

Antonelli avoided both McLaren and went up fourth, followed by New Zealander Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), British Oliver Bearman (Haas) and German Nico Hülkenberg (Audi).

Leclerc managed to preserve third place, although he informed the team that the intermediate tyres were very degraded.

In addition to Russell and Piastri, they abandoned Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez, Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto, Valtteri Bottas, Gabriel Bortoleto and Alexander Albon.

The Singapore Grand Prix, 17th round of the season, is held on Sunday at 1 p.m. (in Lisbon).