Max Verstappen wins Singapore Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli closes in on F1 title

SINGAPORE (AP) — Silenced by a broken radio, Max Verstappen let his driving do all the talking on the track.

Verstappen raced hard into the first corner then cruised to his second consecutive Formula 1 win at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen had been concerned about his Red Bull car’s “horrendous” starts and was slow off the line again from pole, but managed to squeeze Charles Leclerc to the inside heading into the first corner and held the lead.

Leclerc was second as Verstappen followed up on his first victory of the season in Malaysia last week and sprint race win Saturday. It was his first career Grand Prix win in Singapore at the 10th attempt.

“It’s taken a while,” Verstappen admitted, adding his start was “just good enough.”

After the start, Verstappen’s main concern seemed to be a broken radio that left Red Bull unable to hear him. Race engineer GianPiero Lambiase resorted to asking Verstappen questions he could answer yes or no by pressing his radio transmission button.

Leclerc was second for his first podium finish since July and behind him, there was action as Kimi Antonelli overtook Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton for third to increase his standings lead.

Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell came through the field to ninth after starting at the back.

That means Antonelli could now become F1’s youngest-ever champion as soon as the next race, the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on Oct. 25.

“I know it’s very close. I know it’s there, but I just need to make sure that I keep doing the best I can,” Antonelli said. “This weekend, I haven’t particularly driven that well. I felt like I could have done a better job.”

Montreal’s Lance Stroll did not finish.

Luck goes Antonelli’s way again

Once again, Antonelli seemed to have all the luck at Mercedes and Russell none of it.

The Italian was running fifth with Norris and Hamilton ahead when the two British drivers made costly mistakes.

Hamilton ran off track defending from Norris, who seemed startled and also ran wide, allowing Antonelli to line up a pass on Norris before picking off Hamilton a lap later as the seven-time champion struggled with old tires.

The Italian stayed on course despite overheating brakes — “I could even smell it” — and also had to watch out as he was on the verge of a penalty for running off-track too many times, but stayed just the right side of the line from then on.

Russell, meanwhile, was still suffering from his engine failure last week because the need to change his power unit meant a penalty sent him to the back of the grid for the start of Sunday’s race.

Russell was making good progress as he cut through the field to seventh but had a dose of misfortune when a virtual safety car slowdown ended just as he was pitting for fresh tires, leaving him to fight his way back up from 10th.

Hamilton drops back and apologizes

Norris was fourth for McLaren and his teammate Oscar Piastri passed a struggling Hamilton for fifth on the final lap. Hamilton apologized to the team, saying it had been his decision on the strategy to stay out on wearing tires.

Despite both drivers passing Hamilton late on, it was another race with McLaren well off the pace, though at least without the drama of Norris’ collision with Piastri on Saturday.

Liam Lawson was seventh for Racing Bulls, Nico Hulkenberg eighth for Audi, Russell ninth and Verstappen’s teammate Isack Hadjar recovered to 10th after starting from the pit lane.

What Antonelli needs for the title

Antonelli is on the verge of becoming F1’s youngest champion at the age of 20 and the first Italian to win the title since 1953. He leads Russell by 102 points and Hamilton by 111.

It’s possible that could happen at the Circuit of the Americas on Oct. 25 but highly unlikely.

To take the title in Texas, Antonelli would not just have to win the United States Grand Prix with a Mercedes car that has been skittish and unpredictable since recent upgrades. For an unassailable 125-point lead, he would also need Russell to finish ninth or lower, and for Hamilton to place no higher than fifth.

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The Associated Press