(DPA)
Max Verstappen overcame his start problems when it mattered to win the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix for the first time on Sunday, while Kimi Antonelli is on the brink of clinching the world title.
Starting from his 50th career pole position, Red Bull's Verstappen robustly held off Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc at the start and never looked back en route to capping his 250th race with a second straight win and 73rd overall.
Leclerc came second and championship leader Antonelli got past reigning champion Lando Norris of McLaren and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in the later stages to complete the podium in third.
Four-time world champion Verstappen kept up his strong form of late despite radio problems, having also won last week in Malaysia and in Saturday's sprint in Singapore - although he lost the start on both occasions.
Antonelli meanwhile further extended his championship lead to 102 points over team-mate George Russell who placed ninth, from 19th at the start owing to a grid penalty. This means that Antonelli could clinch the title at the next race in Austin, Texas, on October 25.
Norris was fourth ahead of his team-mate Oscar Piastri, who also passed a struggling Hamilton in the final lap to come fifth. Red Bull's Isack Hadjar came 10th although he had to start from the pit lane.