F1 Singapore GP: Max Verstappen takes sprint pole with Kimi Antonelli only seventh

Max Verstappen topped sprint qualifying for Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix after a stellar final lap, where he will be joined on the front row by George Russell.

This is the first time Verstappen has come first in a qualifying session of any sort at Marina Bay Street Circuit, though he will be investigated afterwards for an alledged yellow flag infringement.

Formula 1Max Verstappen to be investigated for yellow flag infringement at F1 Singapore GP

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start the sprint race from only seventh, having been outpaced by the Ferraris and McLarens.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Nobody had even set a time in Q1 when Sergio Perez caused a yellow flag as he crashed into the Tecpro at Turn 5. The Mexican damaged his front wing and eventually lost it on the racing line, with the red flag waved to clear the debris.

There were just six minutes remaining on the clock, with few actually competitive lap times from anyone. As a consequence, the final moments were a rush to get a decent mark on the board, with cars out in the pitlane several minutes before the light even went green.

Verstappen eventually went fastest in 1m33.477s, nearly half a second slower than his own FP1 benchmark on the same medium tyre. The Red Bull racer led Charles Leclerc by 0.018s and Russell by 0.096s, with Lewis Hamilton 0.271s down.

Everyone else was at least six tenths adrift, starting with an impressive Nico Hulkenberg for Audi, closely followed by Isack Hadjar, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Antonelli.

Further down the classification, Carlos Sainz was slowest of all. “I had a lot of front locking and no rear, combined,” he complained on the radio. He was eliminated after Q1, like Williams team-mate Alexander Albon, the Cadillacs, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and, more surprisingly, Arvid Lindblad. Racing Bulls’ rookie was missing one tenth to make the cut, albeit only after confusion created by an FIA software glitch.

Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images

Verstappen went 0.75s quicker than the SQ1 fastest time as early as his first attempt in the second segment of sprint qualifying, setting a 1m32.724s.

However, the Dutchman’s reference was swiftly surpassed by Leclerc, Hamilton and Norris, with the Monegasque adding a 1m32.457s to the board. Antonelli and Russell were six and nine tenths adrift respectively.

Meanwhile, Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto, Fernando Alonso, Franco Colapinto, Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman were at risk of elimination. Even Hadjar was missing nearly half a second compared to 10th-placed Nico Hulkenberg.

Russell’s second attempt was no better, with a lock-up into Turn 13. Hadjar’s and Colapinto’s respective improvements knocked the eight-time grand prix winner out of the top 10, but last-ditch progress saw him jump to safety in fourth.

Colapinto was therefore eliminated with a 0.094s deficit on Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly, along with Hulkenberg, who failed to improve late on.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images

Switching from medium to soft rubber as per the regulations, drivers had few chances to make an impact in the eight-minute SQ3 phase.

The McLarens and Mercedes were first out, with Norris setting the pace in 1m31.587s, leading Piastri by 0.189s, Russell by 0.250s and Antonelli by 0.518s.

Then it was the Ferraris in action and Leclerc went quickest in 1m31.568s, narrowly edging Norris out. Hamilton was nearly two tenths faster than his team-mate in the first sector but lost even more in the final part to end up 0.134s adrift.

Leclerc then improved late on with a 1m31.399s, but couldn’t hold off a much faster Verstappen, who set a 1m31.156s on his sole attempt – the first time he has won out in a qualifying session at the circuit, even if this won't count as a pole position in the record books.

Russell clinched a front-row spot in the final moments of the session, leading Leclerc, Piastri, Norris and Hamilton.

Antonelli ended up seventh, 0.693s down on Verstappen, with Lawson, Hadjar and Gasly making up the top 10.

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