George Russell claims pole position for Singapore Grand Prix
4th October 2025Mercedes’ George Russell claims the Silver Arrows’ first pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix since 2018, pipping Red Bull’s Max Verstappen around Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Feature image credit: Mercedes F1
Russell looked to be in control of the qualifying after the final runs of Q2, when the Briton set the benchmark pace. The #63 Mercedes managed to follow this up with a provisional pole lap on the first time of asking.
However, on the final run of Q3, the Mercedes pole sitter managed to find even more time to take pole position for the first time since the Canadian Grand Prix in June, which he went on to win.
His lap times could not able to be matched or beaten by his closest competitors. By the end of qualifying, Verstappen was Mercedes’ closest rival, 0.182s off the pace.
The Dutchman believed he was hindered by McLaren’s championship contender, Lando Norris, who was peeling into the pit lane when the four-time world champion abandoned his lap. The Dutch driver raised hand gestures out of his cockpit to express his frustration to one of his championship rivals.
McLaren, in another mixed weekend so far, rounded out the top three with Oscar Piastri, who qualified behind both Russell and Verstappen in third. Norris completed the McLaren line-up in fifth, behind Russell’s teammate Kimi Antonelli.
The Woking-based team still has a strong chance to secure the constructors’ championship this weekend. With only 13 points needed to secure back-to-back titles, if the race ends as qualifying has ended, McLaren will be the 2025 constructors’ champions.
Russell’s pole position gives Mercedes their first pole position in Singapore for the first time since Lewis Hamilton took pole in 2018. Additionally, the Briton now holds the new track record with a 1:29.158.
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- McLaren and Alex Dunne part ways with immediate effect
- FIA confirm extensive car checks ahead of Singapore Grand Prix
- Singapore Grand Prix declared heat hazard for first-time ever
- F1 extends partnership with Memento Exclusives until 2030
- Why Oscar Piastri will not take Singapore Grand Prix grid penalty
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
