Lando Norris clinched victory under the dazzling lights of Marina Bay, turning his pole position into a commanding win at the Singapore Grand Prix.

In a race where he controlled proceedings from start to finish, Norris crossed the line a full 20 seconds ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen, tightening the title race and reducing Verstappen's points cushion.

For those familiar with Norris’s past struggles from the front, his flawless start came as a pleasant surprise. He slotted neatly ahead of Verstappen at Turn 1, immediately setting the tone for the race.

From there, it was almost as if Norris had an extra gear. In the end, it was smooth sailing for the McLaren driver.

Verstappen, with no answer to Norris's pace, had to be content with second place. Oscar Piastri, who started fifth, fought his way to third, ensuring a double podium for McLaren.

This, combined with a lacklustre finish for Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, meant McLaren extended their lead over Red Bull in the constructors' standings.

Piastri’s strategy was one of patience. He stayed out longer than most during the first stint, and when he finally switched to fresher tyres, he made quick work of Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc attempted a similar strategy, passing Hamilton easily in the closing laps but falling short of catching Russell, leaving Leclerc in a Silver Arrows sandwich by the end of the race.

Carlos Sainz, after a qualifying mishap, managed to salvage seventh place, while Fernando Alonso brought home valuable points for Aston Martin in eighth.

Nico Hulkenberg delivered a solid performance for Haas, finishing ninth. Perez, after being knocked out in the second qualifying phase, rounded out the top 10.

Further down the order, Franco Colapinto continued to impress with his drive to P11, just shy of the points and hot on the heels of Perez.

He was followed by Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, while Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin crossed the line in 14th.

The Kick Sauber duo of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas found themselves in 15th and 16th, with Pierre Gasly in the other Alpine and a struggling Daniel Ricciardo, who set the fastest lap after a late pit stop, finishing behind them.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Williams, as Alex Albon lost several positions at the start after a tussle with teammate Colapinto and later retired due to overheating issues. Kevin Magnussen’s Haas also didn’t make it to the chequered flag, suffering a puncture late in the race.

Norris was visibly elated, celebrating with clenched fists as he brought his car into parc fermé. His win slashed Verstappen’s title lead from 59 to 52 points, while McLaren leaves Singapore with a healthy 41-point lead over Red Bull in the constructors’ battle.

Marina Bay, it seems, has reignited the title race in spectacular fashion.

Photo Credits: Formula 1 Content Pool