Max Verstappen will keep pole position for the Singapore Sprint after the stewards decided not to penalise the Red Bull driver for overtaking Lewis Hamilton under yellow flags during SQ1. After reviewing video footage and telemetry and hearing from both drivers and their teams, officials concluded that Max Verstappen had slowed sufficiently despite completing the pass while still inside the yellow-flag sector.
The decision means Max Verstappen will start Saturday’s Sprint from the front of the grid at Marina Bay, preserving the pole position he secured in Sprint Qualifying. The investigation had centred on his pass on Lewis Hamilton during the opening phase of the session.
Max Verstappen keeps Singapore Sprint pole
Max Verstappen came under investigation after overtaking Lewis Hamilton while yellow flags were being displayed in SQ1. However, after hearing from the drivers and team representatives and examining both the footage and telemetry data, the stewards decided that the Dutchman had reacted sufficiently to the warning signal.
The ruling allows Max Verstappen to retain first place on the grid for the Sprint at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where he will have the opportunity to pursue his first victory in Singapore.
Why stewards did not penalise Verstappen
The stewards explained in detail why no penalty was imposed.
“At the exit of Turn 7, a single yellow flag was displayed, with Hamilton ahead of car number 3. The Ferrari driver, having been advised of the approaching Red Bull, said that he slowed down and moved to the right after Turn 7 to leave the racing line clear. Verstappen then completed the overtake before Turn 8, when both cars were still in the sector affected by the yellow flag.
“Verstappen explained that he exited Turn 7 accelerating but lifted off the throttle after seeing the yellow flag. The telemetry confirmed this: approximately 40 metres before entering the affected sector, Verstappen completely released the throttle.”
The stewards also highlighted the large speed difference between the two cars at the moment the pass took place.
“At the time of the overtake, Hamilton was travelling at less than 60 km/h, while Verstappen was on a push lap and had exited Turn 7 accelerating, so there was a significant speed difference despite the Dutchman having started to brake.
“The stewards were satisfied with Verstappen’s appropriate reaction, as he lifted off and braked. The Red Bull’s speed was approximately 70 km/h lower than that recorded by Verstappen on another push lap during the same session.”
Stewards acknowledge yellow-flag breach but explain no penalty
Max Verstappen also argued that avoiding the overtake entirely would have required him to brake especially hard because Lewis Hamilton was travelling so slowly ahead.
“Verstappen also explained that, in order to avoid the overtake, he would have had to brake particularly sharply and this could have created a dangerous situation. The stewards acknowledge that Verstappen breached the regulation regarding yellow flags, but the overtake was an unfortunate consequence of the significant difference in speed between the two cars.”
The distinction was crucial to the final outcome. Although the stewards recognised that the pass itself occurred while the yellow-flag restrictions were in force, they considered Max Verstappen’s response to the warning appropriate enough not to justify a sporting penalty.
That leaves the Red Bull driver free to approach Saturday’s Sprint from pole position and attempt to claim his first victory at Marina Bay. Singapore remains a circuit where Max Verstappen has never won, making the Sprint an opportunity to begin breaking a long-standing personal drought at the venue.
The Sprint forms part of the wider 2026 Singapore Grand Prix weekend, with the result of Saturday’s short race also offering another indication of Max Verstappen’s pace before the main Grand Prix.
Leave a Reply