The evening saw the conclusion of the Formula 1 World Championship qualifying session at the Marina Bay city circuit in Singapore. The standout surprise was George Russell’s top time, securing him pole position for the upcoming race. This marks the British Mercedes driver’s second such achievement of the season.
Max Verstappen, representing Red Bull, posted the second-best time, trailing the leader by a narrow margin. Oscar Piastri of McLaren rounded out the top three. The gap between the top five drivers was just 0.089 seconds, highlighting the fierce competition in qualifying.
The race is scheduled for Sunday, with the start at 14:00 Spanish time. Russell stated he hopes to maintain his lead off the grid, but he acknowledged that Verstappen remains one of the main contenders for victory.
Verstappen was unable to complete his final flying lap in the last part of qualifying, which meant he didn’t improve his result. Spanish driver Fernando Alonso achieved his goal of reaching the final segment and will start the race from tenth position. His compatriot Carlos Sainz only managed thirteenth.
The starting grid is as follows: George Russell (Mercedes), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Andrea Antonelli (Mercedes), Lando Norris (McLaren), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).
During qualifying, the Mercedes and McLaren teams showed impressive speed, with the battle for positions marked by constant changes in the leaderboard. It’s worth noting that on this track, the pole-sitter often goes on to win: in the past five years, the driver who started first has won the race three times.
For Verstappen, the Marina Bay circuit remains one of the few where he has yet to secure pole position. This weekend, he will once again attempt to clinch his first victory on the Singapore street circuit. The session was not without incident: due to Pierre Gasly’s car stopping on track, a yellow flag was issued.
As a result, qualifying ended with a surprise success for Russell and set up an intriguing starting grid for Sunday’s race, where the battle for victory promises to be especially intense.
