Norris beats Verstappen to secure pole for Singapore GP amid chaotic qualifying

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

MARINA BAY, Singapore — Lando Norris stormed to pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, edging out championship rival Max Verstappen in a dramatic qualifying session at the Marina Bay Circuit. The McLaren driver set a blistering lap time of 1m 29.525s in what turned into a one-lap shootout after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz crashed at the start of Q3. Norris finished two-tenths ahead of Verstappen's Red Bull, while Mercedes drivers followed closely behind.

Lewis Hamilton, overcoming recent qualifying struggles and balance issues throughout practice, delivered a strong performance to claim third place, narrowly outpacing teammate George Russell. Oscar Piastri, in the second McLaren, settled for fifth position.

Ferrari’s qualifying woes were compounded when Sainz hit the wall at the final corner while preparing for a flying lap, relegating him to 10th on the grid. Charles Leclerc faced further disappointment, placing ninth after his fastest lap was deleted for exceeding track limits.

Nico Hulkenberg delivered another standout performance for Haas, qualifying sixth, while Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda took advantage of Ferrari’s misfortune to secure P7 and P8, respectively.

Williams showed further signs of improvement, with Alex Albon and rookie Franco Colapinto finishing 11th and 12th. Albon, however, expressed frustration with a sudden loss of grip when it mattered most in Q2.

There was early drama for Sergio Perez, as the second Red Bull driver failed to make it past Q2, leaving him in a disappointing 13th place for Sunday’s race. Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon followed in 14th and 15th.

Daniel Ricciardo, who had shown promise in practice, struggled during Q1, missing the Q2 cut-off by just over a tenth and finishing 16th. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly had equally difficult sessions, placing 17th and 18th, while the Kick Sauber duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu rounded out the grid in P19 and P20.

Norris’ pole sets up an exciting showdown in Singapore, with Verstappen, Hamilton, and a tightly packed midfield ready to challenge under the lights on Sunday.

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