Max Verstappen is targeting the one victory still missing from his Formula 1 collection at the Singapore Grand Prix, but the Red Bull driver has warned that success at Marina Bay is far from guaranteed despite the team’s encouraging progress and recent win in Malaysia.
The Dutchman has never won at the Singapore Grand Prix, including during Red Bull’s strongest seasons in the ground-effect era. Marina Bay proved particularly difficult during 2022 and 2023, making this weekend another opportunity for Max Verstappen to finally add the famous night race to his record.
Max Verstappen targets first Singapore Grand Prix victory
Red Bull arrives in Singapore with increased confidence after claiming its first victory of the season in Malaysia, but Max Verstappen is refusing to assume that the RB22 will automatically be competitive around Marina Bay.
“We’re here to win, or at least we’ll try, but there are many teams that are very fast on street circuits,” Max Verstappen explained.
“Although we think we have a good car for Singapore compared with the past, when we struggled even in the years when we were dominating, there is no guarantee that it will actually be that way.”
The comments underline Red Bull’s cautious approach to a circuit that has repeatedly proved difficult for the team, even during seasons when it held a clear advantage elsewhere.
Singapore presents different challenge to Baku and Monaco
Street circuits can produce very different competitive pictures depending on the precise characteristics of the layout, and Max Verstappen stressed that Marina Bay cannot simply be compared with other recent city-centre races.
“This track is not Baku and it’s not Monaco either,” Max Verstappen added.
Singapore’s characteristics therefore leave Red Bull with another important test as it attempts to confirm whether its recent improvement can translate across different types of circuit.
The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix Sprint schedule also gives the teams only limited preparation time before competitive running begins, adding another variable to an already demanding Marina Bay weekend.
Red Bull keeps expectations under control after Malaysia win
Red Bull’s Malaysian breakthrough naturally provides momentum heading into Singapore, but Max Verstappen is determined not to let the result change the team’s approach.
“We are obviously very happy to have taken our first victory in Malaysia, but at the same time we want to keep our feet on the ground.”
The latest result has strengthened Red Bull’s position during the closing phase of the season, while the broader championship situation can be followed in the Formula 1 driver standings.
For Max Verstappen, however, Singapore presents a much more immediate objective. Marina Bay remains one of the major victories absent from his Formula 1 career, and Red Bull believes it heads into the 2026 weekend with a stronger package than in previous years.
Whether that improvement is enough remains uncertain. As Max Verstappen stressed, Singapore has its own demands, several rival teams are particularly competitive on street circuits, and Red Bull’s Malaysia victory offers confidence rather than a guarantee.
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