With his first win of 2026 under his belt, Max Verstappen is looking for another F1 first this weekend: winning the Singapore GP. Ever since his infamouse “NO” during the 2015 edition of F1’s original night race, Verstappen has tried to win it. But either the opponents were to quick, or he got sandwiched between two Ferrari’s, or the car failed to
Anyway, with an improved RB22, Verstappen hopes his luck changes at the Marina Bay track.
“Yeah, I think in the last few years we’ve always been bad at low speed,” Verstappen reflects. “Low speed and just kerbing, bumps. This year’s car is probably more competitive in low speed, but we still struggle on bumps and kerbs.
“We know that. Of course I have unfinished business when you have not won the race. Every year I come back and I’m trying to win it, but it also needs to be realistic.
“But I always try, every single year. And I hope that we can be, let’s say, a little bit more competitive this year compared to the the last few years.
Sprint format adds extra layer to already complicated Singapore GP weekend
This year F1 has decided the Singapore GP needs a Sprint, adding some complexity to a race weekend that is already different than others, because of the split day-time/night-time running in practice.
Especially with just one free practice, the setup choice is going to be tricky, something the four-time world champion confirms.
“Yeah, as every year here, you know that during the day you have a little less grip. It’s probably a little bit harder on the tyres. But the most important thing is just to find a good balance with the car straightaway in FP1. That will probably just help a lot for the rest of your weekend.
“It’s always hectic in the Sprint weekend to make the right choices,” Verstappen adds. “Sometimes, you just have a better one, or, you know, you have a bit more straightforward one than others. But it’s really difficult to know how it’s going to go.
“But yeah, naturally, you drive during the day in a Sprint, compared to in the night. It will have different challenges, but at the same time, you also know that this track is very hard to pass.
“So, I think at the end of the day, the most important thing is qualifying. For the Sprint, or the race, because that normally defines where you finish.”
Verstappen aims for 2026 Singapore GP podium with updated Red Bull
The updates on the RB22 have brought Verstappen clearly into the picture regarding race wins, but this will not guarantee Red Bull being competitive in Singapore.
Verstappen has no doubts the updates will work at the Marina Bay circuit as well, but whether the track suits his car remains a question until Friday running. However, this does not mean he does not aim for the rostrum come Sunday.
“The updates, they will work,” he states clearly. “But yeah, sometimes some tracks are just actually a little bit better for us.
“Baku, again, it’s colder, harder to switch on the tyres. Malaysia is the complete opposite. And this is, again, a hot place where the tyres do switch on. But we have had our limitations.
“So, it’s, again, for me another extreme compared to what we had in Baku or Malaysia. But I also know that some other cars are very good at low speed, or specifically on street circuits. But we want to just try and be competitive and be, let’s say, in the hunt for the podium.”
