Lando Norris wins Singapore GP to narrow F1 title race with Max Verstappen | Motorsports News

System One title contender Lando Norris led from pole to chequered flag to win the Singapore Grand Prix, narrowing the hole to championship chief Max Verstappen, who was second.

It was the McLaren driver’s third profession GP win and his first from pole at his sixth try.

His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri completed third to increase their lead over Crimson Bull within the constructors’ championship.

It was a remarkably incident-free run across the Marina Bay Avenue Circuit on Sunday, the primary in its 15-race historical past to not see a security automotive deployed.

On the finish of the 62 uninterrupted laps, Norris had decreased Verstappen’s title result in 52 factors with six races and three sprints to go.

Piastri’s third place, coupled with Sergio Perez solely managing tenth within the second Crimson Bull, meant McLaren’s lead within the constructors’ championship was raised to 41 factors.

Norris obtained away brilliantly from pole and was away from Verstappen into the primary bend as Lewis Hamilton, on softer tyres, tried to place stress on the Dutchman.

However the three-time world champion repelled the Englishman and all of the vehicles accomplished the opening lap safely.

Norris quickly opened up a niche of greater than a second over Verstappen.

Hamilton from third was the one frontrunner to start out on delicate tyres, however he paid a penalty for it after he needed to pit early on lap 18.

The goal was clearly to go all the way in which to the top however after simply 5 laps on the brand new rubber he complained on crew radio: “I’m already fighting this tyre.”

Norris was in a league of his personal up entrance as he stretched his lead over Verstappen to twenty seconds by lap 26.

Regardless of just a few late brushes with the unforgiving Singapore road circuit partitions, the Englishman secured a dominant victory.

“It was a tremendous race,” mentioned Norris.

“A number of too many shut calls, I had a few shut moments within the center however it was well-managed I feel.

“I may push, we have been flying the entire race. Nonetheless robust, I’m a bit out of breath, however a very good one.”

Piastri began from fifth however a superior technique enabled him to overtake Hamilton and the second Mercedes of George Russell within the late levels.

“It was a very good race, a very good restoration from qualifying – it wasn’t my greatest afternoon yesterday,” mentioned Piastri.

“Large thanks to the crew as clearly the automotive was distinctive this weekend, and a few nice factors.”

Verstappen’s solely likelihood appeared like a security automotive that by no means got here.

“My race was simply on my own, do the perfect I may, handle my very own race,” mentioned the three-time world champion.

“On a weekend we knew we have been going to wrestle, P2 is an efficient achievement. However now we have to enhance, and that’s what we’ll do.”

Hamilton on a lot older tyres than the sector was a sitting duck in the direction of the top and misplaced one other place on lap 50 to the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who had begun from ninth on the grid.

Leclerc completed forward of Hamilton, with the second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz in seventh.

Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg and Perez rounded out the highest 10.

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