George Russell produced a superb lap to take pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, underlining his case for a Mercedes contract extension. The Briton was almost two-tenths of a second quicker than Max Verstappen, who ended up second but was left frustrated, blaming Lando Norris for obstructing him on his final run.
Verstappen, visibly aggrieved, waved in frustration after catching Norris’s McLaren in the final corners. “That is what happens when there is a car in front of you and that is noted and will be remembered,” said the world champion, claiming he lost downforce and had to abort. While Norris was not in breach of regulations, Verstappen accused him of returning too slowly to the pits. Norris dismissed the complaint, saying: “They always complain, they complain about everything, that’s Red Bull. I didn’t even know, I was like three seconds ahead or something.”
Whether Verstappen could have matched Russell remains uncertain, as the Mercedes driver had already looked the quicker man. His precision driving delivered Mercedes a timely boost, their new front wing proving effective, and the performance is another strong statement as speculation continues around his contract beyond this season.
Oscar Piastri and Norris took third and fifth, with Kimi Antonelli splitting them in fourth for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will start sixth and seventh, while both Williams drivers were disqualified after their DRS slots were found illegal.
Russell is chasing his first Singapore win, while Verstappen is yet to claim victory at Marina Bay. With Oscar Piastri holding a 25-point championship lead, the title fight remains finely poised. McLaren, meanwhile, can secure the constructors’ crown if they score 13 points on Sunday, a podium for either driver being enough.
