Liam Lawson secured fifth place in the final sprint race of the 2026 Formula One season in Singapore, adding four points to his championship tally amid a challenging and rain-affected contest on the Marina Bay street circuit. The Racing Bulls driver completed 20 laps in difficult conditions, finishing without incident in a race marked by delays, safety car interventions, and a high attrition rate that saw nine drivers fail to complete the shortened event.
Lawson’s result matches his career-best sprint race finish, having previously placed fifth at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix. This marked his third sprint race points finish of the season, following seventh place in China and eighth place at Silverstone, providing a timely boost ahead of Sunday’s grand prix qualifying session. Lawson’s season points total now stands at 69, enhancing his prospects of ending the year as the highest-ranked driver outside the sport’s top four teams.
The New Zealand driver’s performance in Singapore also mirrored his previous success at the venue, where he finished ninth in the 2023 grand prix—his first top-10 finish in Formula One.
At the front of the race, Max Verstappen capitalized on pole position to claim his first victory in Singapore and his second win in as many races after triumphing in Malaysia last weekend. Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed the podium in second and third places respectively, collectively securing 13 points for the constructors’ championship. World championship leader Kimi Antonelli earned five points with a fourth-place finish.
Mercedes’ George Russell, who began the race in second and took the lead at the start, faced misfortune early when he spun into the wall on the main straight at the beginning of the second lap. This incident is expected to result in a grid penalty for Russell in the grand prix, likely forcing him to start from the back.
Lawson’s teammate Arvid Lindblad finished 13th after a spin on the wet circuit, marking him as the final classified finisher. Lawson had a strong qualifying performance for the sprint, starting eighth behind the safety car—his best sprint qualifying position to date. A heavy rain shower delayed the start by 30 minutes and leveled the playing field by negating the pace advantage of faster competitors.
When the race finally commenced under wet conditions after two formation laps, Lawson maintained his initial position. Following Russell’s crash, a safety car period enabled Lawson to advance to seventh. Further retirements, including Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar due to power loss and collisions involving Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, thinned the field. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto also retired on track, contributing to the attrition.
After the race resumed on lap seven, Lawson focused on tire management as the circuit gradually dried. While several drivers opted to switch to slick tires attempting to gain an advantage, Lawson retained his intermediate tires and avoided mistakes. A late collision between two McLaren cars on the final lap elevated Lawson from seventh to fifth place, equalling his best career finish in a sprint race for the third time.
The main Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled to begin at 1 a.m. local time.