Singapore gives Hülkenberg his highest-scoring 2026 round as he holds off Russell

Audi driver Nico Hülkenberg held off George Russell in the closing laps to finish eighth in the Singapore Grand Prix. Together with his seventh place in the Sprint, that made Singapore his highest-scoring round of the 2026 season so far.

Hülkenberg passed Pierre Gasly and Arvid Lindblad on the opening lap, then spent the race chasing Liam Lawson. He credited his early progress to a good feel for where to go on lap one. Later, he said a better rhythm and an indirect tow helped him close on Lawson and pick up speed on the straights.

Russell, who had made progress from 19th on the grid, pressed in the closing laps but could not find a way past. Audi racing director Allan McNish said Russell had been clearly quicker over the final ten laps, yet praised Hülkenberg for defending at the right points of the circuit without overdoing it. McNish added that Hülkenberg ultimately pulled away from Russell and began to close on Lawson.

Earlier in 2026, Hülkenberg had slipped out of the points at the end of both Baku and Sepang. McNish said the Singapore defence mattered to Audi’s garage after the team had lost a point on the last lap twice.