Formula 1 · Singapore Grand Prix

Why Verstappen escaped a penalty after Singapore yellow-flag incident

The stewards said the Red Bull driver breached the rules by passing Lewis Hamilton, but took no further action after reviewing the circumstances.

Usain Bolto

The decisive moment

Racing Racing: cars and motorcycles The decisive moment

On October 9, 2026, Formula 1 reported that Max Verstappen would keep pole for the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint after stewards reviewed a yellow-flag incident in Sprint Qualifying.

The stewards found that Verstappen had breached the yellow-flag regulation by overtaking Lewis Hamilton, but decided against a penalty. They said he had responded to the flag by lifting off the throttle and reducing speed, and described the pass as an unfortunate consequence of the closing-speed difference.

The incident in SQ1

A single yellow flag was displayed after Cadillac driver Sergio Perez hit the barriers in SQ1. Verstappen, on a push lap, passed Hamilton’s Ferrari before Turn 8 while both cars were in the yellow-flag sector.

Hamilton had slowed and moved right to leave the racing line. Verstappen said he had lifted after seeing the flag and abandoned his push lap. The stewards’ review said telemetry confirmed he was fully off the throttle within about 40 metres of entering the sector.

At the moment of the pass, Hamilton had reduced his speed to below 60 km/h. The stewards said Verstappen’s speed was about 70 km/h lower than it had been on another push lap in the same session.

Why the stewards imposed no penalty

The stewards concluded that Verstappen reacted appropriately to the yellow flag by lifting off the throttle and reducing speed. They also accepted that avoiding the overtake would have required heavy braking, which Verstappen considered could create an unsafe situation.

Their decision did not overturn the finding that the rule had been breached. Instead, they judged the pass to be an unfortunate consequence of the significant closing-speed difference and decided not to impose a penalty.

Formula 1’s report said Verstappen therefore retained pole for Saturday’s Sprint at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The reported starting order behind him was George Russell for Mercedes and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari.

Newsroom

This account is based on Formula 1’s report published October 9, 2026, including details from the stewards’ hearing and decision.

Byline

Usain Bolto

The decisive moment

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