George Russell converted pole position into victory with ease in the Singapore Grand Prix, as another incident between the McLaren drivers overshadowed the team winning the constructors' title.
While Russell cruised to the win at the Marina Bay Circuit, McLaren scored the 13 points it needed to win a second consecutive championship. However, it came under controversial circumstances, as Lando Norris made contact with Oscar Piastri on the first lap.
Piastri was forced wide by his team-mate at Turn 3 which saw the Australian drop to fourth, while Norris jumped from fifth to third in the opening corners. The British driver remained in third for the rest of the race despite having challenged Max Verstappen for second.
Issues with Verstappen's RB21 resulted in a tricky evening for the Dutchman, although he kept hold of second after a great defensive display ahead of Norris.
Piastri finished in fourth but was furious with McLaren, while Kimi Antonelli completed the top five. The result moves Norris to within 22 points of Piastri, with Verstappen now 63 adrift.
Result Race - Singapore
Norris barges past furious Piastri
A short rain shower caused tyre chaos ahead of the grand prix with the second and third sector having become damp, while the first sector remained dry.
Despite the major tyre conundrum, all drivers opted to start on slick tyres – Verstappen was alone on the softs in the top seven. Only 18 drivers took to the grid, as Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly started from the pit lane.
With pole-sitter Russell on new medium tyres and Verstappen on used softs, it was still the Briton who made the best launch from the line and led into the first corner. Verstappen was slow off the line but remained in second.
Behind the lead duo, Norris had a mighty start from fifth and quickly moved into third, barging past team-mate Piastri at Turn 3. Piastri almost found himself in the wall with contact having been made, infuriating the championship leader.
Crucially, Norris also made marginal contact with the rear of Verstappen, resulting in a broken, but manageable front wind end-plate. Piastri was left furious, particularly after McLaren decided to take no action.
The race quickly settled after the opening corners, with Russell having built a 3.6s lead over Verstappen by the start of the eighth lap. Russell led comfortably from Verstappen, Norris, Piastri and Leclerc.
Verstappen continued to fall further behind and complained of poor downshifts, an issue he has experienced several times this season in his RB21. The gap had increased to almost six seconds by lap 12, while Norris hovered just over one-second adrift of the four-time world champion.
Towards the back, the first pit stop action took place at the end of lap 13, as both Yuki Tsunoda and Gabriel Bortoleto pitted. Meanwhile, Norris clipped the Turn 17 wall.
Norris remained close to Verstappen, with Red Bull having pitted the 28-year-old at the end of lap 19. Interestingly, McLaren did not immediately respond the following lap. However, Ferrari did pit Leclerc from fifth at the end of lap 21, while Russell pitted from the lead at the end of lap 25.
It put McLaren into yet another difficult position, as both Norris and Piastri needed to pit due to Verstappen, Leclerc and Russell having fresher tyres.
Norris challenges Verstappen
McLaren, on this occasion, did immediately react, by pitting Norris at the end of lap 26. He rejoined the circuit behind Russell and, crucially, 3.5s behind Verstappen. Norris' advantage, though, was seven-lap fresher tyres.
Piastri was then called in for his pit stop at the end of lap 27, with the Australian having rejoined in fourth but 10 seconds adrift of Norris after a slow pit stop.
With the lead drivers having all pitted for hard tyres, Russell led by 3.6s from Verstappen, who had a 4.5s advantage over Norris – Piastri was 10 seconds behind his team-mate in a lonely fourth.
Verstappen had excellent pace and started to close on Russell, chipping away at the Mercedes driver's lead lap after lap. The gap had reduced to 2.8s on lap 35; however, a huge lock-up by Verstappen at Turn 14 saw it increase to five seconds.
The reigning world champion complained once again about his RB21, with his hard work having been ruined. It also brought Norris back to within two seconds of him. At the back Nico Hulkenberg had a huge spin at Turn 7 on lap 44, but escaped unscathed.
A period of calm took place with everyone managing their tyres, but the leaders lapping traffic brought Norris within DRS range on lap 46. Norris remained within DRS range for the remainder of the race, but failed to find a way past.
Out front, Russell cruised to take the chequered flag by just over five seconds, ahead of Verstappen and Norris. Piastri had gotten to within three seconds of his team-mate, but had no choice but to settle for fourth.
Antonelli, Leclerc, Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10. No drivers retired from the race.
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