George Russell produced a superb lap to take pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, strengthening his case for a Mercedes contract extension with a commanding performance at Marina Bay. The Briton was almost two-tenths of a second clear of Max Verstappen, who was left frustrated after blaming Lando Norris for obstructing his final flying lap.
Verstappen, forced to back off after losing downforce behind a slow-moving McLaren, waved in frustration and later made his feelings clear. “That is what happens when there is a car in front of you and that is noted and will be remembered,” he said, adding that while Norris had not broken any rules, the incident had “not been nice.” Norris dismissed the complaint, accusing Red Bull of moaning: “They always complain about everything. I didn’t even know—I was like three seconds ahead or something.”
Whether Verstappen could have beaten Russell remains uncertain, with the Dutchman already behind on his first hot lap. Russell, meanwhile, delivered precision driving in Q3, brushing the wall on his opening effort before going even quicker on his second. Mercedes’ new front wing appeared to give him the edge, and the result comes as Russell continues to recover from illness.
Oscar Piastri took third for McLaren, with Norris in fifth. Between them was Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who impressed with fourth place. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc lined up sixth and seventh for Ferrari. Both Williams cars were disqualified after scrutineering found their DRS slots out of compliance, relegating Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz to the back.
Sunday’s race promises to be a tense battle. Russell is chasing his first win in Singapore, while Verstappen is still seeking a breakthrough at the circuit. With Piastri holding a 25-point lead in the title race, and McLaren on the brink of sealing the constructors’ crown with just 13 points required, the stakes could hardly be higher.
