Max Verstappen has tempered expectations ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, warning that “there are no guarantees” of a victory at the Marina Bay Street Circuit despite his first win of the 2026 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Verstappen beat Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in Malaysia to end a difficult stretch of the campaign, but the four-time world champion was measured when asked whether that momentum could carry into Singapore. “We’re going to try, that’s for sure,” Verstappen said. “It’s always complicated on a street circuit, a lot of things have to come together.”
The Dutchman’s best results at Marina Bay stand at three consecutive second-place finishes — in 2018, 2024, and 2025 — a record he acknowledged reflects a circuit that has historically not suited the Red Bull package. “Singapore was a track where our car didn’t really come alive before,” he said. “I hope it’s going to be a little bit better this year but there are no guarantees. There are a lot of other teams that are also very strong on street circuits.”
With seven rounds remaining in the season, Verstappen said his goal is straightforward: extend the winning momentum where possible while keeping perspective. “I just want to try and see if we can carry this momentum and try to be in a position again to win potentially,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s here or in another race. We have won one race finally and then we also need to stay with two feet on the ground.”
Teammate Isack Hadjar narrowly missed a double podium for Red Bull in Malaysia, dropping to fifth late in the race due to a battery issue. The Frenchman said the team is still analyzing what happened but does not expect it to affect their Singapore preparations. “I don’t think whatever happened in Malaysia is going to impact us heading into Singapore,” Hadjar said. “But still, I’m not the type of guy who just moves on. I want everything to be understood.”
Hadjar also reflected on the broader arc of Red Bull’s season, noting the team had been as much as nine-tenths of a second behind Mercedes in Melbourne before a late upgrade package brought them back into contention. He highlighted the significance of the Malaysia result for Red Bull Ford Powertrains, which claimed its first Formula 1 victory just two races into its partnership. “It’s great to have a Red Bull power unit win a race. They’ve been doing that for only four years and they won an F1 race already, so it’s impressive,” Hadjar said.