Despite the pressure from behind, George Russell maintained his dominance as he held onto P1, bringing home flawless victory at the F1 Singapore GP. After starting the race on mediums, the Mercedes driver got away with a perfect launch at lights out.
Claiming his second win of the 2025 season, Russell managed to add another 25 points to his tally. Currently fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, the Briton closed the gap to 36 points. Nevertheless, Mercedes defeated all expectations around a track known for its high temperatures.
The race from the Mercedes’ cockpit
This F1 Singapore GP saw George Russell redeem himself after his bad luck at the Marina Bay circuit. He led the race as he showcased great defensive driving against the threat of Max Verstappen on his tail. However, the Grand Prix was not easy for the Briton, as the pressure from the Red Bull driver had him watching his rear:
“I mean, a one-hour, 45-minute race here in Singapore, with the heat and humidity, is never smooth and straightforward. But when I saw Max [Verstappen] on the Soft tyres, I knew I just needed to stay ahead of him at Turn 1. But then the opening laps were really strong. And I know Max was probably managing those Softs more than I was managing my Mediums.
“But pulling the 10-second gap in 20-something laps was really great. And from that moment on, I just knew it was, yeah, bring it home and watch out for the wall at Turn 10,” explained Russell, highlighting the challenging aspects around Singapore — the unforgiving walls.
Tyre strategy for the unreliable weather
While the Singapore GP was declared a heat hazard this year, drivers were given the option of wearing cooling systems on their fireproofs. However, just an hour before the start of the race, rain began to cover the track. With tyre strategy suffering slightly, Russell picked the Mediums for his first stint.
The Mercedes driver shared his thoughts in the post-race press conference, especially after Verstappen picked a more offensive approach with Softs:
“Yeah, well, I thought it was a smart move from those guys. Because if Max jumped me at Turn 1, to be honest, I think he would have won the race, because overtaking was so challenging. You saw Lando was definitely the quickest guy out there, and he just couldn’t pass Max. He was within a second every single lap.
“So if Lando couldn’t get past, I doubt we would have been able to achieve it. So, it was crucial that we nailed the start. It’s been a strong point of mine this year, so I’m glad we did.”
It became clear that the gap George Russell put in between himself and Verstappen at the beginning of the race was his saving grace.
Taking over the momentum in Austin
George Russell has definitely had a good couple of rounds, after his podium in Baku and his win at the F1 Singapore GP. As Mercedes struggled with balance throughout this 2025 season, it seems like they have finally figured out a solution.
The Briton confessed that this victorious Marina Bay performance managed to perplex the team. Russell ended up admitting that he would rather enjoy this unexpected result before worrying about the next round in Austin.
“I mean, I said it yesterday. If I were to make a list of all the races I thought we could win at this year, this would probably be right at the bottom. So I think we need to sit down tomorrow and Tuesday to sort of understand why the performance was so good.“
He went on to point out Norris’ commanding drive around the Marina Bay Street Circuit. His hopes for the rest of the 2025 season remain sensible and prudent, considering the others’ performance.
“I hope we can carry this through to the rest of the season. But I think realistically, Lando [Norris] looked incredibly fast. He was within a second of Max [Verstappen] the whole race. And around this circuit, that’s not easy. So, we’ll take the performance for today, celebrate it, and I won’t think too much about Austin yet.”
