Photo via BBC Sport

Verstappen building major momentum as 'no-one very happy' at McLaren

Max Verstappen’s recent surge in form has reignited speculation about Red Bull’s ability to challenge for the championship, though his current 129-point deficit to Mercedes leader Kimi Räikkönen leaves little realistic hope of closing the gap. The Dutch driver secured pole position in Singapore on Saturday, following up his sprint-race victory in wet conditions earlier that day—a performance that sets him up for a potential second win in seven days.

Behind him, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both expressed frustration after narrowly missing out on pole, while Verstappen’s own focus remains on Red Bull’s inconsistent starts, having lost the lead off the line in Malaysia and the sprint race this weekend. The team’s car improvements have given him greater confidence, as seen in his comeback win in Bahrain last weekend, though the tight Singapore circuit may limit his ability to recover from a poor start.

Verstappen’s momentum—marked by three consecutive podiums before Bahrain—contrasts sharply with McLaren’s struggles, echoing his dominant late-season run in 2022 when he nearly overtook a 100-point deficit. With just 175 points remaining in the season, his current trajectory suggests a strong finish, though a title push remains out of reach without a near-impossible streak of wins and Räikkönen’s misfortune.

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Verstappen beats Ferraris to Singapore pole