George Russell delivered a superb qualifying lap to claim pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, underlining his case for a Mercedes contract extension. The Briton outpaced Max Verstappen by nearly two-tenths of a second at the demanding Marina Bay circuit, but the world champion was left fuming at Lando Norris, accusing the McLaren driver of costing him a shot at pole.
Verstappen abandoned his final run after catching Norris in the closing corners and gestured in frustration, claiming he lost vital downforce. “That is what happens when there is a car in front of you and that will be remembered,” Verstappen said, adding that Norris had been too slow on his in-lap. Norris dismissed the complaint, saying: “They always complain, that’s Red Bull. I didn’t even know, I was like three seconds ahead.”
Whether Verstappen could have beaten Russell is debatable, with the Dutchman trailing on his earlier effort as Russell set two immaculate laps, brushing the wall on his first before going even quicker on his second. The Mercedes upgrade to the front wing appears to have paid off, and Russell’s performance, achieved while recovering from illness, was a powerful statement as contract talks continue.
Oscar Piastri and Norris qualified third and fifth for McLaren, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli impressed in fourth. Lewis Hamilton took sixth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Both Williams cars were disqualified post-qualifying after a DRS infringement, relegating Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz to the back of the grid.
Sunday’s race promises fireworks, with Russell chasing his first win in Singapore and Verstappen still seeking his own breakthrough at Marina Bay. Meanwhile, McLaren can seal the constructors’ championship with a modest 13-point haul, needing only a podium finish from either Piastri or Norris to secure their second straight title.
