The Dutch driver expressed his disappointment after losing the Singapore Grand Prix to George Russell, who had not even been on the radar before the weekend. Verstappen was also frustrated for not securing pole position due to an issue he believes was triggered by Lando Norris and for choosing soft tires at the start, a decision that prevented him from keeping pace with Russell’s Mercedes during the first stint.
Max Verstappen’s expression at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix did not go unnoticed. Among the drivers still in contention for the world championship, the Red Bull driver collected the highest points of the weekend, even on a track where a McLaren one-two was almost expected. Yet Verstappen climbed the podium with body language that left no room for misinterpretation, and the reasons for his frustration became clear afterwards.
Red Bull knew that the race would likely be decided in the few hundred meters between the starting line and turn 1. In hindsight, Verstappen’s frustration after qualifying (he accused Norris of blocking him by staying in front of his car during the final flying lap to create turbulence) is easier to understand. His annoyance was fueled by the awareness of facing an uphill battle. Starting from second on the grid drastically reduced his chances of leading into the first corner.
It is no secret that on the Marina Bay circuit, the left side of the grid has less grip than the right, which is more rubbered in due to the racing line after the final corner. Red Bull decided to play the only available card: starting on a set of soft tires, which according to Pirelli simulations, should gain about two meters off the line compared to the medium compound. Unfortunately for Verstappen, it was not enough. The grip difference on the asphalt was not fully compensated by the softer compound, as confirmed by the starts of Antonelli (-2 positions) and Hamilton (-1 position) who began behind the Red Bull.
“The scenario was clear even before the start,” Verstappen admitted. “We had no doubts about choosing the softs; it was an opportunity, and we took the risk.” After failing to seize the lead at turn 1, Verstappen faced a race in which he had to manage the drawbacks of the red tires without reaping their benefits.
“I had to fight quite a bit to keep them alive,” he explained. “It was necessary to get to an acceptable lap before switching to the hards.” Red Bull strategists waited until lap 19 to ensure a stop without hitting traffic, allowing Russell, who was much more consistent on the medium tires he started with, to build a nine-second gap.
From that point on, any chance of winning the Singapore Grand Prix vanished. Despite crossing the line ahead of Norris and Piastri, Verstappen’s expression reflected his dissatisfaction. Three main reasons emerged: losing the race to a driver who had not been a threat on the radar before the weekend, missing pole position by 182 thousandths due to a problem Verstappen blames on Norris, and choosing soft tires, which prevented him from staying close to Russell in the early stint.
It mattered little that pre-race expectations were different. Max was aware he had an opportunity that, for various reasons, did not materialize as he had hoped. Had he won, he would have reduced the gap to Piastri to -56 points and to Norris to -34 points—a significant deficit—but a third consecutive victory would likely have applied additional pressure on the McLaren team at a moment when mental games are as important as technical performance.
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