10/11/2026 02:07:00
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10/11 02:02 CDT Max Verstappen aims to extend F1 winning run as he starts on
pole for Singapore Grand Prix
Max Verstappen aims to extend F1 winning run as he starts on pole for Singapore
Grand Prix
SINGAPORE (AP) --- Max Verstappen is back at the front of the Formula 1 field
but will need to improve on some "horrendous" recent starts from pole position
in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.
An upgraded Red Bull car has catapulted Verstappen back into the fight for
wins, and the four-time champion was dominant in Singapore on Saturday, winning
the sprint race before qualifying on pole. That backed up his first win of the
season last week in Malaysia.
Overtaking is almost impossible on the streets of Singapore, as indicated
Saturday when Lando Norris collided with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, so
Verstappen will have to be wary of the fast-starting Ferraris of Charles
Leclerc in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.
Verstappen has called on Red Bull to sort out an issue which led to him losing
positions at the start in Malaysia and in Saturday's sprint.
"The start was horrendous again," he said after the sprint. "That's definitely
something that we need to improve on because if you have something like that
tomorrow, that's your race over, if nothing crazy happens."
Kimi Antonelli starts fourth with a chance to further extend his standings lead
over Mercedes teammate George Russell, who is at the back with a penalty after
his engine failure last week.
If Antonelli outscores Russell on Sunday by 11 points or more, that would make
it possible for the Italian to become F1's youngest-ever champion at the next
race. That's the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 25.
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