Lando Norris delivered a spectacular performance to claim pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, outpacing his title rival Max Verstappen by 0.203 seconds. The McLaren driver, who dominated two of the three practice sessions, cemented his status as the overwhelming favorite with a blistering lap, putting him at the front of the grid as he hunts down Verstappen in the championship battle.
Lewis Hamilton showed his class with a stunning lap to secure third, just 0.316 seconds off Norris, while teammate George Russell followed closely in fourth, showcasing Mercedes’ improved form. Azerbaijan Grand Prix winner Oscar Piastri struggled to match the pace of his McLaren teammate, settling for fifth, over four-tenths behind Norris.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso secured seventh, while Yuki Tsunoda placed eighth, capitalizing on a strong run for his RB. Ferrari’s nightmare qualifying saw Charles Leclerc’s lap time deleted, leaving him in ninth, while Carlos Sainz’s heavy crash at the final corner brought out the red flags. The Spaniard will start no higher than 10th, pending engine checks after his car took a severe hit to the barriers.
Williams duo Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto narrowly missed the top ten, qualifying 11th and 12th respectively. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez endured a disastrous session, finishing a lowly 13th after being knocked out in Q2, compounding a difficult weekend for the Red Bull driver.
Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon failed to progress to Q3, placing 14th and 15th. In what could be his final F1 appearance, Daniel Ricciardo suffered a disappointing Q1 exit, ending up 16th despite early weekend promise from his RB. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll qualified 17th, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, and Sauber drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu rounding out the grid.
With Norris on pole and Verstappen breathing down his neck, the stage is set for a thrilling Singapore GP, where every point counts in the heated championship race.
