Verstappen cleared of yellow-flag breach to keep Singapore sprint pole

Max Verstappen will start Saturday’s sprint race at Marina Bay Street Circuit from pole position after FIA stewards cleared him of a yellow-flag breach during SQ1 at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver had been under investigation for overtaking Lewis Hamilton in a yellow-flag zone after Sergio Perez crashed at Turn 5, losing his front wing on the racing line — an incident that ultimately triggered a red flag. Stewards examined whether Verstappen had adequately slowed his car before passing Hamilton.

Having reviewed telemetry, video, timing data, team radio, and in-car footage, and having spoken to both drivers and their team representatives, stewards concluded that Verstappen had reacted appropriately. According to the official verdict, Verstappen lifted fully off the throttle within approximately 40 metres of entering the yellow-flag sector after spotting the warning flag exiting Turn 7.

The critical factor in the stewards’ decision was the speed differential between the two cars at the moment of the pass. Hamilton, who had slowed and moved to the right to clear the racing line, was travelling at less than 60 km/h when Verstappen went past — roughly 70 km/h slower than Verstappen’s own speed on a comparable push lap earlier in the session. Stewards accepted Verstappen’s argument that braking heavily enough to avoid the overtake would itself have risked creating an unsafe situation.

While stewards acknowledged that Verstappen technically breached the yellow-flag regulation by completing the overtake, they determined that his response to the flag was sufficient given the circumstances, and imposed no grid penalty or any other sanction.

Hamilton confirmed in his own evidence that after exiting Turn 7 he had braked and moved off the racing line to ensure Verstappen had room. No action was taken against the Mercedes driver either.

Verstappen therefore retains pole for the sprint race, with the result of SQ1 standing as originally classified.