Oscar Piastri losing his cool - and F1 title momentum: Singapore winners and losers

George Russell claimed a brilliant first win on the streets of Singapore as McLaren wrapped up the first championship title on offer this year.

Here are our biggest winners and losers from the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix…

Winner - McLaren

There may not have been a race victory, but it was still a night to celebrate for McLaren as the team secured the 2025 constructors’ championship at the second attempt.

Third place for Lando Norris and fourth for Oscar Piastri was enough to seal McLaren’s second consecutive constructors’ title and their 10th teams’ crown in F1 history.

The shine of McLaren’s achievement - which ties Red Bull’s 2023 record of wrapping up the constructors’ championship with six races to spare - was slightly taken off after an intra-team collision that has angered and alienated one of their drivers.

Loser - Oscar Piastri

Piastri fumed at being hit by title rival and teammate Norris on the first lap and felt it was unfair that McLaren decided not to reverse the positions following the clash as he appeared to hint that the team’s famous Papaya Rules had been broken.

Piastri lost his cool in the heat of the moment and for the third consecutive race weekend, he has seen his championship advantage cut by Norris, who is now just 22 points behind with six races to go.

We are starting to see chinks in Piastri’s armour and it seems that the usually oh-so-cool Australian is feeling the pressure as the title race hots up. Things aren’t going his way at the moment and he is losing momentum at a crucial time. If Piastri wants to become world champion this year, he has to avoid going into full-blown panic mode.

Winner - George Russell

A sublime performance all weekend from Russell, who converted a stunning first pole in Singapore into his second victory of the 2025 season - and his first at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Russell barely featured in a race dominated by the internal drama at McLaren, underlining just how peerless he was. Russell scampered clear from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the start and never looked back as he claimed a controlled and impressive fifth career win.

Another statement from one of the most consistent and strongest performers of the season. Russell’s stock continues to rise as he looks to finalise a Mercedes contract extension.

Loser - Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton

Weekends where Ferrari show early weekend promise before fading into oblivion are becoming a bit of a theme in 2025, and Singapore was no different.

Friday was encouraging, and Lewis Hamilton looked like he could be challenging for the top positions after setting the pace in Q1, but was left pointing the finger at Ferrari’s operational execution after he and Charles Leclerc ended up only sixth and seventh on the grid.

In the race, Ferrari had no pace, finishing behind both McLarens, both Mercedes and Verstappen. Leclerc was overtaken by Kimi Antonelli on his way to a low-key P6 while an impressive final stint for Hamilton on soft tyres ended with brake issues and a penalty for track limits infringements that dropped him from seventh to eighth.

Another weekend to forget for Ferrari.

Winner - Max Verstappen

Verstappen once again maximised his result as he fended off Norris and Piastri to make further inroads on the McLaren drivers.

It wasn’t the result he hoped for, but given Verstappen battled constant car issues throughout the race, the Dutchman will be pleased to come away from the weekend having beaten his main competition.

Verstappen still faces a near-impossible task to overturn a now 63-point deficit to Piastri in the title race, but the four-time world champion is certainly giving it his best.

Loser - Racing Bulls

Racing Bulls come away from Singapore empty-handed after an engine issue ruined Isack Hadjar’s race.

The Frenchman hoped to bag points after a strong qualifying effort saw him start eighth, but power unit gremlins meant he faded down to 11th and was pipped to the final point on offer.

Winner - Fernando Alonso

The ever-determined Fernando Alonso failed to let a slow pit ruin his race as the two-time world champion staged a gritty fightback to eighth on the road.

P8 became seventh following Hamilton’s penalty, giving Aston Martin extra points that see the Silverstone-based squad close up to sixth-placed Racing Bulls in the constructors’ championship.

Loser - Yuki Tsunoda

After making a breakthrough in Baku, Yuki Tsunoda could not continue his progress in Singapore as he suffered a horrible qualifying that left him only P15 on the grid.

A poor start cost him any chance of a good points haul as Tsunoda rose to 12th in the race, though he also ended up being lapped by Red Bull teammate Verstappen.

Having taken one step forward in Azerbaijan, this feels like two steps backwards for Tsunoda as he battles for his F1 future.

Winner - Oliver Bearman

Oliver Bearman couldn’t hold Alonso at bay but drove a strong, error-free race as he converted a brilliant qualifying lap into two points for Haas. The British rookie had the measure of his more experienced teammate Esteban Ocon all weekend in Singapore.

Loser - Nico Hulkenberg and Sauber

Starting 11th, Nico Hulkenberg would have been hoping to challenge for the points, but his race quickly unravelled under the lights in Singapore. It was a tough race for Sauber as Hulkenberg finished 20th and last following a late spin, while teammate Gabriel Bortoleto could only manage 17th.

Winner - Carlos Sainz

After their podium last time out in Azerbaijan, Williams were brought back down to earth with a bang. 

A double disqualification from a disappointing qualifying for a technical infringement looked to have ruined the team’s weekend, but Carlos Sainz produced an impressive recovery from the back of the grid to grab the final point on offer and salvage something for Williams.