Red Bull’s Max Verstappen stays patient ahead of S’pore Grand Prix after claiming first win of 2026

SINGAPORE – Max Verstappen has conquered many racetracks, but the Dutchman could never manage to get a firm grasp on the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix.

Among the 72 wins he has collected in his career, none have come in nine attempts under the floodlights of the Marina Bay Street Circuit, despite nine attempts.

Yet, he appeared relaxed and unhurried on Oct 8, seemingly at ease with the idea that some things simply take time – like his first win of 2026 at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Reflecting on the victory, the 29-year-old said in an interview at the paddock in Singapore: “We just needed to be realistic for a long time that we aren’t in a position to win.

“Lately of course, we were getting closer and closer and I could feel it was almost within reach and then in Malaysia, it was possible to win.”

After a slow start to the season during which he failed to finish two of his opening seven races, Red Bull brought a major upgrade package to the Austrian GP in June, kick-starting a strong mid-season turnaround.

He finished second in Austria and went on to notch six podiums in the next eight races, including the much-awaited victory on Oct 4. He was the last driver to win in Sepang in 2017 before the Malaysian GP was taken off the calendar.

Red Bull’s progress over the season was particularly meaningful for the Dutchman and his team this season, being their first with their own in-house power unit, in partnership with Ford.

He said: “For all us it meant a lot because we all know that we had quite a tough start to the year but we’ve really managed to turn it around and the car really became a lot better to drive, a lot more together and in our first season with our own engine is very impressive.

“For me it was nice to be back in Malaysia – it’s a place that I love and it has a lot of good memories and the support was amazing to see as well. It’s good to drive on a track that I like and of course win there.”

The win has given the four-time world champion confidence heading into this weekend’s action, but he was also careful not to get ahead of himself, especially with a sprint race set to feature in Singapore for the first time.

He said: “It’s similar conditions but a completely different track so there’s never a guarantee and we’ll just need to wait and see how the weekend is going to unfold.

“Being a sprint weekend, it’s always going to be quite tough.”

Verstappen will make his 250th F1 start in Singapore, adding another milestone to a career that has already delivered four consecutive drivers’ titles from 2021 to 2024 and 72 race wins.

Each of those race victories has carried its own significance for him, rather than simply adding to the numbers.

He said: “They all feel different because they all come down to a different way of winning and that makes it very beautiful.

“If the win is always the same, it’s a very weird feeling and it’s just very boring if everything feels the same so the last one (in Malaysia) was a very emotional one for everyone because of the project we are in so all of that together – first win, first win for our own engine, first win for quite a few people in the team as well, so it was nice.”

Reflecting on the current campaign, his first since losing the drivers’ crown to McLaren’s Lando Norris by two points in 2025, Verstappen insists his motivation remains intact.

He said: “Every single weekend, you just try to maximise your result.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re leading or behind, we’re just always try to do our best and I don’t really get bothered about these things, it doesn’t put any extra pressure in any way, I just try to do my job and get the most out of it.”

Verstappen is committed to doing just that after signing a contract extension with Red Bull in August, which keeps him at the six-time world champions till 2030.

He said: “It’s just working with the people and the team, keeping it fun as well and actually having a competitive car and trying to fight for the win, that’s what keeps me going.”

Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing.