F1 – Singapore Grand Prix RECAP: Lap-by-lap updates as Lando Norris WINS as he closes the gap on title rival ans second-placed Max Verstappen – with Oscar Piastri sealing the final place on the podium

Thanks for joining us today for our coverage of the Singapore Grand Prix where we have seen Lando Norris record a third career victory as the world championship battle between him and Max Verstappen hots up.

We’ll leave you with Jonathan McEvoy’s expert recap of the day’s events from Singapore below.

The champagne spray begins as Norris is drenched by Verstappen and Piastri.

The British driver is making headway in the world championship race as he continues to hunt down championship leader Verstappen.

A great day for McLaren and Norris with just six races remaining.

Lando Norris is sweating beads in the Singapore heat after dominating the race and upon analysing his victory admits his close calls with the wall were nervy moments.

Max Verstappen is being modest in his post-race interview as he outlines his world championship lead is beind ebbed away by Lando Norris, but vows to improve.

It was a largely uneventul Singapore GP from Verstappen as he never managed to mount a challenge on Norris but did hold off Piastri to finish second.

Daniel Ricciardo swapped to a new set of soft tyres for the last couple of laps and has helped out his old team-mate Max Verstappen by taking the fastest lap of the day.

It could be the Australian’s final race in F1 and that’s a nice way for him to leave if it is.

Ferarri are left disappointed as Leclerc fails to pass Russell with the Mercedes holding on to fourth place after producing some excellent defending for the last three laps.

Leclerc finishes fifth with Hamilton in sixth.

Kylie Minogue waves the chequered flag that welcomes Lando Norris down the home straight to victory as he wins the Singapore GP.

What a dominant performance that was from the McLaren ace who closes the gap on Verstappen’s championship lead by claiming a third career GP win.

Verstappen crosses the line in second almost 30 seconds behind him, with Oscar Piastri finishing third to get two McLaren drivers on the podium.

Leclerc is ready to try and overtake Russell with just three laps remaining as he moves to within under a second of the Mercedes which allows him to use DRS.

His tyres are also nine laps younger as Russell defends.

We have just a few laps remaining and there is plenty of time for changes to be made, most notably with Charles Leclerc hunting down Russell in fourth.

Norris has calmed things down slightly after his close scare with the wall and is flying out front with a now 30 second lead over Verstappen in second.

The Red Bull champion has maintained his 18 second lead over Piastri and should finish second which could make for an interesting podium at the end of the race.

Magnussen hits the wall at turn five and leaves debris on the track as he continues racing with a deflated tyre.

Ferrari hopefully expect a safety car but the Haas driver is able to get back to the pits and changes onto soft tyres.

Norris almost ends his race for the second time as he again clips the wall coming into the fifth bend, with the McLaren’s wheel arch touching the barrier.

Does he panic? No chance as Norris puts in another fastest lap of the day. He’s quick but McLaren will be nervous as they tell the race leader to ‘take a drink’ and maintain ‘full concentration’.

Verstappen holds a strong lead over Piastri and you sense the Red Bull champion won’t let the McLaren pass easily if the Australian gets within striking distance.

Just over 10 laps remaining in Singapore!

That was another sublime overtake from Piastri who flies around the outside of Russell, trusting that the Mercedes defender wouldn’t defend too agrresively.

The chase to catch Max Verstappen is now on, while his Red Bull team-mate Sergo Perez remains in 10th much to the delight of McLaren as they look to further extend their constructors championship lead.

Piastri is gaining over a second a lap on Russell and will be in striking distance of the Mercedes in roughly two laps time.

His McLaren car is just so much more competitive on this street circuit and Piastri should make an easy pass.

Meanwhile, Ferrari believe Leclerc will be able to overtake Hamilton in fifth in 10 laps time.

Piastri has so much more grip than Hamilton and passes him with ease around the outside heading down one of the Marina Bay’s straights.

It was a simple overtake from the McLaren and only George Russell now splits him and Verstappen who is currently 22 seconds behind Norris.

McLaren make the call to pit Piastri and it’s just a 2.2 second stop as they change him onto hard tyres that will carry his car through until the end of the race.

Piastri emerges in fifth behind Hamilton and he’ll be expecting to launch an overtake within the first couple of laps on new tyres.

McLaren ask Piastri what he thinks if they decide to keep him out without making a stop which means he will need to overtake Lewis Hamilton later in the race.

The 23-year-old demonstrates his maturity by stating: ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’

We wait to see when the McLaren driver will make a stop as he sits second with a 12 second lead over Verstappen.

Oh no Max Verstappen is not happy at all as he emerges from the pits in fourth behind Leclerc who made a great move to undercut the Red Bull.

Verstappen jumps on the radio, telling his team that it is ‘stupid’ how they have allowed Ferrari to make an undercut on him which is probably a little bit harsh from the reigning world champion.

He then passes Leclerc but certainly isn’t enjoying this race with McLaren currently holding a one-two lead.

Norris stays out for a lap longer than Verstappen but then pits and the miracolous news for him is that McLaren don’t need to change his front wing as was initially feared.

This should be plain sailing for the race leader now.

Well this could be a huge moment in the race as Norris gets on the radio explaining he has suffered damage to his front wing and replays show the McLaren leader hitting the wall at one point in his last lap.

Verstappen rushes into the pits and he could have enough time to undercut Norris if he needs a new front wing.

Russell gives up position as he makes a first pit stop and swaps onto the medium tyres. Piastri stays out and is quickly told on the team radio ‘this is the race, let’s go’.

Time to see what the Australian can now do as he tries to reel in Verstappen in second place.

Oscar Piastri has been biding his time just patiently closing the gap to George Russell’s Mercedes, but is now perfectly positioned right behind him.

The McLaren is definitely the quicker car but Russell is defending well so far.

Leclerc has been sat behind Fernando Alonso since the start of this race and makes it clear on the team radio that he isn’t enjoying himself.

The Ferrari driver is currently seventh and is within a second of the Aston Martin but can’t find a way through.

The problem for Leclerc is that if he pits now then his team-mate Sainz will undercut him in the race.

After being instructed to increase his lead to five-seconds, Norris has showed his dominance by deciding to instead increase that gap to 14 seconds over Verstappen.

What a race and what incredible pace his McLaren is showing, with Verstappen not even in Norris’ wing mirrors. If it stays like this then Norris will seal a comfortable victory!

Hamilton is the first Mercedes driver to make a pit stop and slots back into racing in 13th.

Nightmare for Williams as they spot Albon’s car is overheating in the blistering evening heat and make the quick decision to end his race. Disappointing end for Albon.

It’s been an uneventful start from the two Mercedes drivers in Singapore with Hamitlon third and Russell placed in fourth, but neither close enough to mount a challenge on Verstappen yet.

Oscar Piastri is within range of Russell, but the Mercedes car has the power when it’s needed and the Englishman currently looks comfortable.

Sainz has just swapped onto hard tyres as the Ferrari driver makes his first pit stop of the day and that could prompt a few drivers to make similar moves.

McLaren look like they are going to try and undercut Verstappen. Expect him to make a sudden pit call any time now.

It’s not been a great start from the other Red Bull driver, but Sergio Perez looks poised to challenge Franco Colapinto’s Williams in ninth.

Red Bul need all the points they can get after dropping to second in the constructors championship.

Well this is a statement of intent from McLaren as they tell Norris to start picking up the pace and asking for the Brit to set a five-second gap to Verstappen.

Norris duly obliges by setting a new fastest lap and his lead over the Red Bull ace is now just over four seconds. Verstappen is struggling here!

Charles Leclerc is currently eighth after passing Yuki Tsunoda in the opening exchanges while Carlos Sainz is 12th and that is the reality of Ferrari’s struggles this weekend.

The Italian garage looked quick in practice but their drivers are struggling to overtake early on in this race with the tight street circuit providing not many places to get past.

Leclerc needs to realistically make a move on Fernando Alonso before the first pit of the race.

It was a stunning start from the McLaren star and a new fastest lap of 1.38.480 has seen him increase his early lead over Verstappen to nearly two seconds.

The Red Bull just doesn’t have the same pace as Norris’ McLaren.

We have seen lots of early challenges throughout the pack of drivers and Mercedes are starting to show their pace as well with Russell momentarily putting Hamilton under pressure.

Norris ends the first lap with his lead in tact and is trying to move nearly a whole second clear. DRS is now able to be used and that will give Verstappen a boost here.

Lando Norris makes an excellent start as he keeps his lead ahead of Verstappen heading into the first few bends.

Verstappen has to go on the defensive as Hamilton challenges him. Great racing already!

Here we go then, the track is clear and it’s time to go racing! Norris leads off the formation lap and here’s a reminder of the starting grid for you.

1. Lando Norris [McLaren]

2. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]

3. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] –

4. George Russell [Mercedes]

5. Oscar Piastri [McLaren]

6. Nico Hulkenberg [Haas]

7. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]

8. Yuki Tsunoda [VCARB] –

9. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]

10. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari]

11. Alex Albon [Williams]

12. Franco Colapinto [Williams]

13. Sergio Perez [Red Bull]

14. Kevin Magnussen [Haas]

15. Esteban Ocon [Alpine]

16. Daniel Ricciardo [VCARB]

17. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin]

18. Pierre Gasly [Alpine]

19. Valtteri Bottas [Sauber]

We are just moments away from racing getting underway in Singapore with this race representing a massive moment for Lando Norris to stake his claim to become world champion.

These are the scenarios racing fans have wanted for years and finally Max Verstappen and Red Bull have a serious challenger in the form of a young rising British star who believes it is his destiny to become a world champion.

McLaren are favourites, but Red Bull have more than enough to spoil the party, and don’t forget about Mercedes and Ferrari!

This isn’t good for Aston Martin and Lance Stroll with the garage’s team of engineers carrying out major work on changing his brakes with just over 10 minutes remaining until the start of racing.

Aston Martin think they can get the job done in time but the race against the clock is on!

Max Verstappen has largely refused to speak about the punishment handed to him for swearing in a televised press conference earlier in the week. But, has just made a cheeky tongue-in-cheek jibe while walking down the grid for the national anthem.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Verstappen said: ‘I hope so [can catch Norris], normally Singapore is very interesting but very tough on us and the car and the tyres. We have to be careful what we say.’

We are less than 30 minutes from lights out in Singapore and the sun is just setting on the floodlit racetrack as the drivers go through their final checks.

We’ll just be entering total darkness at the time when racing gets underway and you always sense that the more dramatic racing action happens at night!

JONATHAN MCEVOY IN SINGAPORE: If you think Max Verstappen’s language in the cockpit is ripe, you should hear some of the things said in my rough trade as deadline approaches, or the signal back to London has gone down as you are about to press send on 1,200 words required pronto.

OK, those expletives reach a smaller audience. But it would still be inexcusable hypocrisy of a journalist to condemn Verstappen too harshly for his blaspheming under engine-roasted pressure at 210mph.

Verstappen finished in a surprise fifth-place at this testing Marina Bay street circuit last year on his way to a third world title, but has put himself in with a realistic chance of securing a first GP victory since Spain in June.

The Red Bull star pulled off a stunning final qualifying lap to put himself next to Norris on the front row and the start will be crucial to Verstappen’s attempt to get past the McLaren.

Expect a challenge heading into the first corner between the pair and possibly even some contact because Verstappen knows that if Norris gets an early lead then his Red Bull will struggle to match the McLaren’s pace.

Making a move early is the mission for Verstappen.

Lando Norris can claw back further ground on Max Verstappen in the world championship race with a win today and from pole position has a great chance of doing so.

The McLaren ace has just been speaking amidst a crowded grid and backed himself to make a strong dash to the first corner ahead of Verstappen, but warned that Red Bull shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Max Verstappen was in a rather rebellious mood in the post-qualifying press conference yesterday.

His previous conference had led to him being handed the Formula One equialent of a ‘community service’ order.

He clearly had this in mind when journalists asked him questions after he put his Red Bull on the second spot for today’s race.

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Lot of reports going into this weekend’s race that Daniel Ricciardo is set to be replaced at RB after this race weekend by Liam Lawson.

It has yet to be confirmed but it was a topic brought up to a number of drivers during Thursday’s press conference.

Ricciardo starts today in 16th, eight places behind team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

So it was Lando Norris with his sixth career pole who will start at the front today ahead of Max Verstappen who looked improved in his Red Bull after his recent struggles.

The two Mercedes drivers of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell start ahead of the race winner last time out in Baku, Oscar Piastri.

Disappointing session for Ferrari yesterday as Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted and is ninth, just ahead of Carlos Sainz who crashed out.

And welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog for the Singapore Grand Prix.

This race has a huge amount at stake in terms of this year’s drivers’ championship.

Lando Norris starts on pole ahead of his title rival Max Verstappen, and the McLaren driver will be looking to close the 59-point gap he has to the championship leader.

But can Verstappen or anyone else prevent Norris from picking up his third win of the season.

We will be with you for all the build-up and live updates from lights out at 1pm.