Max Verstappen claimed his second pole position of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend to put himself at the head of the grid for Sunday’s main race as Ferrari’s wait for a first full pole of 2026 continued.
Lewis Hamilton had looked the favourite to deliver his first Grand Prix pole for Ferrari after topping the first two stages of qualifying but Red Bull rival Verstappen, who had won the day’s earlier rain-hit Sprint having started on pole, seized the initiative in the first runs of Q3.
Hamilton was a provisional second after the first runs but could not improve on his second attempt, and was then knocked off the front row to third by team-mate Charles Leclerc, who had experienced a low-key session up to then.
It meant Verstappen did not need to improve his final lap, which he did not, and he secured a milestone 50th Grand Prix pole but his first ever in 10 attempts at Singapore’s Marina Bay street circuit.
The four-time world champion will now bid to win the race for the first time on Sunday, live on Sky Sports F1 at 1pm, and secure back-to-back victories after triumphing in Malaysia last week.
The battle for pole ultimately proved an exclusive Verstappen versus Ferrari affair with neither championship leaders Mercedes nor reigning champions McLaren truly in the mix.
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Max Verstappen claims pole with Charles Leclerc in P2 and teammate Lewis Hamilton in P3 ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli got closest to the front but qualified fourth after abandoning his final lap.
Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who crashed out from the lead of the Sprint in the wet, was sixth but always knew he would drop to the back of Sunday’s grid whatever he did in main qualifying due to a large engine-change penalty.
After colliding on the final lap in the earlier Sprint, McLaren team-mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took fifth and seventh respectively. Russell’s penalty means they will start together on the third row.
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Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok dissects who was at fault for the collision between the two McLaren’s which saw Oscar Piastri crash out of the Singapore GP Sprint race.
Red Bull’s day was not perfect, however, as gearbox issues on Isack Hadjar’s car in Q1 prevented him from setting a lap time and means he will join the penalised Russell at the back of the grid at a Marina Bay street circuit that is very difficult to overtake on.
Hadjar’s early demise offered the chance for the midfield runners to gain ground and Pierre Gasly beat the Racing Bulls duo of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad to the eighth-fastest time of Q3, which becomes seventh on the grid.
Nico Hulkenberg just missed out on Q3 for Audi but will start 10th owing to Russell’s penalty.
Sky Sports F1’s live Singapore GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Singapore Grand Prix
Sunday October 11
11.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP build-up
1pm: THE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Singapore GP reaction
4pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Singapore for the last Sprint weekend of the season with Sunday’s Grand Prix at 1pm (build-up from 11.30am) live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
