Max Verstappen claims second consecutive pole ahead of Singapore Grand Prix

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has snatched pole position ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, pipping both Ferrari drivers by 0.054 seconds.

Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen took his second consecutive pole position by 0.054 seconds ahead of both Ferrari’s, led by Charles Leclerc ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who qualified third, 0.123 seconds adrift. 

Unlike the sprint race, the conditions were dry-but-humid out on track at Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit, with all of the competitors running the red-walled soft compound tyres.

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar was a shock surprise elimination after the Frenchman saw his qualifying session curtailed early with power unit and gearbox issues, boxing to retire just before the end of Q1.

So how did qualifying unfold ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix?  

Max Verstappen wins chaotic Singapore Grand Prix sprint with nine retirements

Q1

When the pit exit light turned green, Audi’s Nico Nulkenberg was the first driver to head out onto the circuit under the Singapore lights. The Mercedes of George Russell, after his sprint crash, was another driver who got out on track with his hastily repaired car. 

There was an early yellow flag, from the Haas of Esteban Ocon, who locked up after the bridge and couldn’t turn the car to make the corner. The Frenchman was able to reverse away from the barrier, and continue on. 

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was another driver to prompt a yellow flag, with him stopping at the run-off area at turn seven. 

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar was the next driver, at turn eight, to bring out the yellow flags after venturing down the run-off. But he brought the yellow flags out again on the straight between turns 13 and 14 after he claimed his engine died. Given a reset, he managed to limp back to the pit lane. 

The Frenchman later had to pull into the pits with more power unit and gearbox related issues, failing to set a lap time on the board. 

At the halfway point of the opening third, Norris set the pace as the defending champion sat at the top of the timing boards with a 1m 33.047s lap, 0.029s faster than his teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s four-time world champion, Max Verstappen. 

By the chequered flag of Q1, the Ferrari’s topped the timing boards with Hamilton setting the pace ahead of his teammate, Charles Leclerc, as Norris rounded out the top three ahead of Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson. 

Q1 Elimination: 

22 – Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing – No Time Set

21 – Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac +3.555s

20 – Sergio Perez, Cadillac +2.694s

19 – Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +2.517s

18 – Alexander Albon, Williams +1.860s

17 – Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +1.794s

Pacesetter: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari – 1m 32.429s

Sprint Race Results: Singapore Grand Prix

Q2

Although he is set to start the Singapore Grand Prix from the back of the field, Russell was the first driver to head out onto the track, ahead of Antonelli and both Audi as the second third commenced. 

With the banker laps secured, Hamilton remained out ahead of the pack, leading the pace with a 1m 31.766s, 0.129 seconds faster than Norris and almost four-tenths faster then Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. 

Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto had two moments on his timed lap, on the entry and exit of the Anderson Bridge. The Brazilian had to collect his car from a slide into the slow turn 13, to avoid hitting the barrier and – potentially – ending his qualifying performance. He occupied 15th ahead of his final lap of Q2, where he remained.

Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, on his final lap of Q2, was fortunate not to have a big incident at the end of the qualifying third, after he slammed into the barrier. The Argentine fought his car as it snapped and kicked through the final chicane, but the car seemed to be undamaged from the collision. 

He was unable to improve and found himself 16th and last overall in Q2. 

Q2 Elimination: 

16 – Franco Colapinto, Alpine +2.258s

15 – Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi +2.129s

14 – Carlos Sainz, Williams +1.997s

13 – Esteban Ocon, Haas +1.794s

12 – Oliver Bearman, Haas +1.379s

11 – Nico Hulkenberg, Audi +1.255s

Pacesetter: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari – 1m 31.529s

Embed from Getty Images

Q3

Similarly to Q2, the two Mercedes were the first to head out onto the track with Russell leading Antonelli and Verstappen. Slowly, the rest of the pack pulled out of their garages, and all 10 drivers were out on track for the first time in Q3 within 90 seconds.

As one of the first runners out on track, Verstappen laid down the gauntlet for the rest of the pack to beat, setting a 1m 31.373s lap, 0.123 seconds faster than Hamilton, to take provisional pole position. 

Whilst further back, Antonelli was able to jump to third overall with Russell besting sixth, 0.374s off Verstappen’s pace.  

By the end of qualifying, no one could threaten Verstappen’s best time as the Dutchman snatched his second consecutive Grand Prix pole position (three of any kind). However, there was a slight change in the top three, as Hamilton could not improve his best time but Leclerc could – overtaking the seven-time world champion to go second. 

Top 10

10 – Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls +1.408s

9 – Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls +0.996s

8 – Pierre Gasly, Alpine +0.852s

7 – Oscar Piastri, McLaren +0.487s

6 – George Russell, Mercedes +0.374s

5 – Lando Norris, McLaren +0.339s

4 – Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes +0.189s

3 – Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari +0.123s

2 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +0.054s

1 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing – 1m 31.373s

Qualifying results: Singapore Grand Prix

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