F1 Singapore GP 2026: Max Verstappen Beats George Russell to Sprint Qualifying Pole

Singapore, October 10, 2026: Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Sprint at the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, edging Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.120 seconds in a closely contested Sprint Qualifying session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified third, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris secured fourth and fifth positions respectively.

Verstappen delivered a decisive lap of 1:31.156 in SQ3 to put Red Bull at the top of the timesheets ahead of Saturday’s Sprint. However, the Dutchman’s result remained subject to a stewards’ investigation into an alleged yellow flag infringement during the opening segment of qualifying.

Russell secured second place with a late improvement to 1:31.276, splitting Verstappen and Leclerc, who posted a 1:31.399. Piastri was just 0.055 seconds behind his Ferrari rival with a lap of 1:31.454, while Norris completed the top five in 1:31.587.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth, ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes. Liam Lawson took eighth for Racing Bulls, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top 10 despite having their SQ3 lap times deleted.

Pérez crash brings out red flags in SQ1

Sprint Qualifying began with an early interruption when Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez hit the barriers, damaging his car’s front wing. Debris was left on the circuit as the Mexican driver attempted to return to the pits, prompting race control to red-flag the session with six minutes remaining.

Lewis Hamilton was leading at the time with a lap of 1:33.748, but only a handful of drivers had completed representative laps before the stoppage.

Following the restart, drivers faced a limited window to set competitive times and secure a place in the top 16 for SQ2. Verstappen eventually emerged as the fastest driver in the segment with a 1:33.477, just 0.018 seconds ahead of Leclerc. Russell finished third, followed by Hamilton and Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg.

Hadjar, Norris and Piastri also progressed, with the McLaren driver recovering after abandoning his first attempt.

The session ended the Sprint Qualifying challenge for Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad, who finished 17th. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was 18th, ahead of Williams’ Alexander Albon in 19th. Pérez and Cadillac teammate Valtteri Bottas occupied 20th and 21st positions, while Carlos Sainz was 22nd and last for Williams.

Verstappen was also referred to the stewards over an alleged infringement involving yellow flags during SQ1, leaving a potential question mark over his qualifying result.

Leclerc leads SQ2 as Russell fights back

Verstappen initially set the pace in SQ2 on the mandatory Medium tyres, recording a lap of 1:32.724. Ferrari responded through Hamilton before Leclerc lowered the benchmark to 1:32.457.

Russell endured a more difficult second segment after locking up at Turn 13 and compromising an attempt to improve his time. Subsequent gains from Hadjar and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto pushed the Mercedes driver outside the top 10, placing pressure on him to deliver during his final run.

Russell responded when it mattered, climbing to fourth and securing his place in SQ3 at Colapinto’s expense. The Alpine driver finished 11th, narrowly missing the cut for the final segment.

Hülkenberg qualified 12th for Audi, followed by Haas driver Oliver Bearman and Audi teammate Gabriel Bortoleto. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished 15th, while Haas’ Esteban Ocon took 16th and the final position in the elimination zone.

Verstappen delivers the decisive lap in SQ3

The eight-minute SQ3 shootout saw teams switch to Soft tyres, with McLaren and Mercedes among the first to head out.

Norris established the initial benchmark with a 1:31.587, ahead of teammate Piastri, while Russell and Antonelli initially struggled to match the McLaren pair.

Leclerc then moved ahead by just 0.019 seconds with a lap of 1:31.568. Hamilton also looked competitive through the opening sector but lost time later in the lap, eventually recording a 1:31.702 that left him sixth.

Leclerc subsequently improved to 1:31.399, strengthening Ferrari’s position at the front. Verstappen, however, produced the decisive performance on his sole SQ3 attempt. A strong opening sector gave the Red Bull driver the advantage he needed, and he maintained his pace through the remainder of the lap to secure Sprint pole.

Russell mounted a late challenge, posting a 1:31.276 to take second place, 0.120 seconds behind Verstappen. Leclerc settled for third, with Piastri fourth on 1:31.454 and Norris fifth on his earlier time.

Hamilton finished sixth, while Antonelli took seventh with a 1:31.849, 0.693 seconds off the pace. Lawson was eighth in 1:32.341.

Hadjar and Gasly rounded out the top 10 after their SQ3 lap times were deleted. Their starting positions for the Sprint were therefore ninth and 10th in the provisional qualifying classification.

Sprint Qualifying sets up Singapore showdown

Verstappen’s performance puts Red Bull in a strong position for the Singapore Sprint, although the outcome of the stewards’ investigation could have implications for the final classification.

Russell’s second-place finish gives Mercedes a place on the front row alongside Verstappen, while Leclerc and Piastri will start from the second row if the provisional order stands. Norris and Hamilton will be looking to make progress from fifth and sixth, respectively.

With Antonelli qualifying seventh, the championship leader will have work to do in the Sprint as he looks to protect his position in the title fight. The tight margins at the front suggest that the opening laps at Marina Bay could prove crucial.

Note: The classification below reflects the supplied provisional Sprint Qualifying results and does not incorporate any subsequent changes resulting from the stewards’ investigation.

2026 FIA Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying Results

Note: The supplied classification lists the final-segment times for the leading eight drivers and the overall qualifying times for the remaining positions. Hadjar and Gasly had their SQ3 lap times deleted.