Max Verstappen Tops Singapore GP Sprint Qualifying Ahead of George Russell
- Max Verstappen topped sprint qualifying for Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix, clocking a 1m31.156s lap at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
- The session marked the first time Verstappen has finished first in any qualifying session at the Marina Bay venue.
- Drivers swapped medium compound tyres for soft rubber during the eight-minute SQ3 phase.
Max Verstappen topped sprint qualifying for Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix, clocking a 1m31.156s lap at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Motorsport.com reported that the Red Bull driver secured the top spot on his sole flying lap in SQ3, edging out Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc by 0.243 seconds. George Russell secured second on the front row for Mercedes, finishing just ahead of Leclerc and the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Verstappen Breaks Qualifying Drought at Marina Bay
The session marked the first time Verstappen has finished first in any qualifying session at the Marina Bay venue. Despite the milestone, his session concluded under a cloud as stewards prepared to investigate an alleged yellow flag infringement.
Drivers swapped medium compound tyres for soft rubber during the eight-minute SQ3 phase. Norris initially set the pace at 1m31.587s before Leclerc improved to 1m31.568s. Verstappen then delivered his benchmark 1m31.156s effort to displace the Ferrari driver at the top of the timesheets.
Perez Crash Sparks SQ1 Red Flag
The opening segment of sprint qualifying was disrupted when Sergio Perez crashed into the Tecpro barrier at Turn 5 before any driver had set a representative time. The impact damaged the Red Bull front wing, which subsequently detached and rested on the racing line, forcing race control to display a red flag.
With only six minutes remaining on the clock after the stoppage, cars queued in the pit lane before the green light appeared. Verstappen set a 1m33.477s to lead SQ1, finishing 0.018s ahead of Leclerc and 0.096s ahead of Russell. Carlos Sainz was slowest of all, reporting over team radio that he suffered from severe front locking and a lack of rear grip.
Motorsport.com noted that the Racing Bulls rookie missed the cut by a tenth of a second amid confusion caused by an FIA software glitch.
Antonelli Outpaced as Championship Leader Struggles
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli endured a difficult evening, qualifying seventh for the sprint race after being outpaced by the Ferraris and McLarens. The Italian driver ended SQ3 0.693s slower than Verstappen’s benchmark.
Russell narrowly survived an elimination scare in SQ2 after suffering a lock-up into Turn 13 on his second attempt. Franco Colapinto, Nico Hulkenberg, and other midfield contenders were knocked out in the second segment, with Colapinto finishing 0.094s behind Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly.
Grid Lineup and Subsequent Investigation
The top 10 for the sprint race features Verstappen on pole alongside Russell, followed by Leclerc, Piastri, Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Antonelli, Liam Lawson, Isack Hadjar, and Gasly. Verstappen’s provisional pole position remains subject to review pending the outcome of the post-session yellow flag investigation.