Max Verstappen aims to extend F1 winning run as he starts on pole for Singapore Grand Prix

SINGAPORE (AP) — Max Verstappen is back at the front of the Formula 1 field but will need to improve on some “horrendous” recent starts from pole position in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.

An upgraded Red Bull car has catapulted Verstappen back into the fight for wins, and the four-time champion was dominant in Singapore on Saturday, winning the sprint race before qualifying on pole. That backed up his first win of the season last week in Malaysia.

Overtaking is almost impossible on the streets of Singapore, as indicated Saturday when Lando Norris collided with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, so Verstappen will have to be wary of the fast-starting Ferraris of Charles Leclerc in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.

Verstappen has called on Red Bull to sort out an issue which led to him losing positions at the start in Malaysia and in Saturday's sprint.

“The start was horrendous again," he said after the sprint. "That’s definitely something that we need to improve on because if you have something like that tomorrow, that’s your race over, if nothing crazy happens.”

Kimi Antonelli starts fourth with a chance to further extend his standings lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell, who is at the back with a penalty after his engine failure last week.

If Antonelli outscores Russell on Sunday by 11 points or more, that would make it possible for the Italian to become F1's youngest-ever champion at the next race. That's the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 25.

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