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Russell wins Singapore GP, McLaren seal constructors' title / Photo: © AFP
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Russell wins Singapore GP, McLaren seal constructors' title
Mercedes' George Russell won the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, as McLaren clinched the Formula One constructors' championship.
Oscar Piastri was fourth, which meant his lead over his McLaren teammate Norris in the drivers' standings was cut to 22 points.
The 27 points scored by Piastri and Norris were more than enough for McLaren to equal the record set by Red Bull in 2023 by winning the team title with six races to spare.
It was McLaren's second title in a row and the 10th in the team's history.
Kimi Antonelli crossed the line fifth in a Mercedes, followed by the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Fernando Alonso, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10.
Russell's Mercedes was on pole and got away cleanly from Verstappen's Red Bull at the start, but the drama all happened behind.
Norris, from fifth on the grid, darted past Antonelli and dived up the inside of Piastri, who started third, at turn one.
Norris was flying and clipped the back of Verstappen on the way to barging his way into third place in a wheel-to-wheel clash with teammate Piastri.
The championship leader was not impressed. "So are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way there? What's the go there?" Piastri complained on team radio.
His anger was not appeased by the team saying they would discuss the incident after the race and not order Norris to swap places.
"That's not fair. I'm sorry, that's not fair," Piastri said.
After pitting for hard tyres, the leading four emerged in the same order, though Verstappen was reporting downshift problems with his gearbox that felt "like a handbrake".
By lap 41 of the 62 Norris had the ailing Verstappen in his sights but found it impossible to get close enough to pass on a Marina Bay Circuit where overtaking is notoriously tricky.
The night race in tropical Singapore was declared the first official Formula One "Heat Hazard".
That means all drivers had to have liquid-cooled vests available, though wearing them was not mandatory.
However, with the air temperature around 28C for the night race, rather than the expected 31C, some opted not to use the new equipment, including Verstappen.
N.Wilson--SFF
