Singapore Grand Prix: Norris takes pole

Dark. Dry. Air +30C, highway +33…32C

Qualifying is the most important session of the weekend in Singapore. Overtaking on a narrow city circuit is impossible; during the fourteen years of the race, the pole holder won the race nine times, and in the rest, weather disrupted the course of events or accidents occurred.

This year the FIA ​​even added a fourth DRS zone, but teams still relied on qualifying to set up their cars.

All practice sessions were held on dry asphalt on Friday and Saturday mornings, with Lando Norris setting the fastest time, one lap faster than last year’s pole position.

Pirelli brought the softest rubber compounds to the podium – C3, C4 and C5 in the Hard, Medium and Soft roles, but on smooth asphalt many complained about poor grip.

In the first session everyone went Soft. Sainz drove the wrong way around a barrier after turning into Turn 1, violating the race director’s instructions and was scrutinized by the stewards after the session.

Norris topped the timesheet with a lap time of 1:30.002. The second behind the leader contained the results of all fifteen riders who qualified for the second session.

Ricciardo, Stroll, Gasly, Bottas and Zhou dropped out of the further competition.

In the second session Verstappen was sent off for a lap for an infringement. Hamilton was the first to complete a qualifying lap faster than 1:30 – 1:29.929. A few seconds later Verstappen was ahead of him with 1:29.680, after which Piastri took the lead with 1:29.640 and Norris, although going faster, abandoned the attempt and returned to the pits.

Albon, Colapinto, Perez, Magnussen and Ocon failed to qualify for the final.

In the final Everyone set off at once, counting on two attempts. Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Alonso used rolled-in tyres, while the rest opted for new sets.

After a few minutes the session was stopped by red flags. Sainz crashed his car after spinning out in the last corner. The rear of the Ferrari was damaged. Carlos got out of the cockpit on his own and walked back to the pits, the car was evacuated and the barrier was repaired.

The stewards noticed that Sainz ran across the track without permission after the accident. Verstappen’s lap was again cancelled because he did not slow down enough during the double yellow flags.

Before the session continued, Piastri had the best time: 1:30.037. Everyone had one more attempt to determine the best.

First Piastri improved by completing a lap in 1:29.953, after which Norris topped the record with 1:29.525.

Leclerc’s flying lap was cancelled for exceeding track limits, leaving him without a lap time on the scoresheet.

Lando Norris won qualifying in Singapore, taking his sixth career pole and fifth of the season. Tomorrow he will share the front row with Max Verstappen, who lost two tenths.

Hamilton and Russell will start from the second row, Piastri and Hulkenberg, who showed an excellent time, from the third row.

Qualification results