Max Verstappen finally checked Singapore off his list, dominating the race and showing just how much ground Red Bull has made up with tyre management, as FormulaUno.it reports. The updated RB22 brought to Baku has unlocked serious improvements in degradation, leaving Ferrari with no equivalent answer today. Verstappen's pace was untouchable, built on an astonishing ability to maintain rhythm through an entire stint.
For Ferrari, the afternoon unspooled through a mix of qualifying struggles and a tactical gamble that backfired. Charles Leclerc followed the wall's instruction to pit under the Virtual Safety Car, though he lost roughly two seconds in a counter-overtake on his teammate. It did not change the ultimate outcome, as Red Bull's raw race pace and tyre care proved insurmountable. Frederic Vasseur pointed the finger squarely at Saturday, noting that their victory chances were largely lost in qualifying and at the start.
Lewis Hamilton's race unravelled in a far more dramatic fashion. The seven-time world champion missed the pit entry when the team called both cars in during the VSC window. Choosing to stay out rather than lose track position, Hamilton gambled on an alternative strategy that ultimately wrecked his afternoon. The initial Medium tyre choice had already locked him into a difficult long-stint plan that failed to deliver the expected advantage. As the laps wound down, severe tyre degradation bit hard, costing him three positions.
Hamilton admitted fault for missing the initial call, stating that the late-race collapse did not reflect the true pace of his machine. Yet the episode opens a much wider debate inside the garage. According to reports, the team's decision-making process leaves too much room for democratic debate rather than backing the clear authority of head of strategy Ravin Jain. While the drivers reportedly hold great respect for Jain's competence, the system frequently dilutes his directives through collective influence.
Further down the order, Kimi Antonelli secured a crucial third place, setting up his first championship match point for Austin. Sitting on 340 points ahead of George Russell on 238 and Hamilton on 229, the young Italian holds a commanding advantage of 102 and 111 points respectively. To wrap up the title in Texas, Antonelli must take the victory while keeping Russell ninth or worse and the Ferrari fifth or worse.
If Hamilton finishes fourth alongside an Antonelli win, the gap would sit at 124 points with five Grands Prix remaining, keeping the Briton mathematically alive. A fifth-place finish for Hamilton would stretch the deficit to 126 points. With Russell ninth, the margin lands exactly at 125 points, giving Antonelli the crown on countback due to his superior win tally.
Ultimately, the weekend exposed two distinct problems for Maranello. They must find the one-lap pace to start at the front, and they need a sharper, more decisive tactical hierarchy that empowers their strategists when fractions of a second matter most.
