News Summary
- Fernando Alonso will start 21st after Aston Martin decided to replace his power unit following Saturday’s qualifying session.
- George Russell drops to 22nd and last because of a previously confirmed 40-place penalty for exceeding his power-unit component allocation.
- Max Verstappen remains on pole, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, while Gabriel Bortoleto moves up to 13th.
Power-unit penalties for Fernando Alonso and George Russell have changed the starting grid for Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, sending the Aston Martin and Mercedes drivers to the back row at Marina Bay.
Alonso qualified 16th on Saturday but will start 21st following Aston Martin’s decision to replace his power unit. Russell, meanwhile, recorded the sixth-fastest qualifying time but drops to 22nd and last because of a previously confirmed 40-place penalty.
The changes promote several drivers, including Gabriel Bortoleto, who moves from 14th in qualifying to 13th on the grid. Max Verstappen retains pole position after beating Charles Leclerc by just 0.054s, with Lewis Hamilton third.
Alonso drops to 21st after Aston Martin power-unit change
Aston Martin confirmed after qualifying that Alonso would receive a different power unit for Sunday’s race, following concerns raised by the two-time world champion about his AMR26.
The Spaniard had been eliminated in Q1 with a 1:34.223, finishing 16th in the qualifying classification.
Mike Krack, Aston Martin’s chief trackside officer, acknowledged that the team lacked the pace to reach Q2 and explained why it decided to make the change.
“In qualifying, we didn’t have the pace needed to get through Q1. We will change Fernando’s power unit in response to his feedback,” Krack said.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported following Aston Martin’s announcement, the team opted to replace the unit ahead of a race in which overtaking opportunities are limited.
The resulting penalty leaves Alonso 21st, immediately ahead of Russell.
Russell drops from sixth to last after 40-place penalty
Russell’s penalty was confirmed earlier in the weekend after Mercedes exceeded the permitted allocation of power-unit components.
The team introduced a fifth internal combustion engine, fifth turbocharger, fifth exhaust set and fourth MGU-K, with each additional component resulting in a 10-place grid penalty.
The combined sanction totals 40 grid positions, sending Russell to the back of the field despite recording a 1:31.747 in qualifying.
The Briton had already endured a difficult Saturday after crashing out of the sprint while leading.
Russell later reported that his Mercedes felt different after being rebuilt following the accident, although he managed to qualify sixth.
The Mercedes driver enters Sunday’s Grand Prix 89 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who starts fourth.
Singapore GP 2026 — updated starting grid
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Qualifying time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:31.373 |
| 2 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:31.427 |
| 3 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:31.496 |
| 4 | K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:31.562 |
| 5 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 1:31.712 |
| 6 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:31.860 |
| 7 | P. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:32.225 |
| 8 | L. LAWSON | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:32.369 |
| 9 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:32.781 |
| 10 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:32.784 |
| 11 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 1:32.908 |
| 12 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:33.323 |
| 13 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:33.658 |
| 14 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:33.526 |
| 15 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:33.787 |
| 16 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:34.289 |
| 17 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 1:34.946 |
| 18 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:35.123 |
| 19 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:35.984 |
| 20 | I. HADJAR | Red Bull RBPT Ford | No time |
| 21 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:34.223 — penalty |
| 22 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:31.747 — 40-place penalty |
Starting positions reflect the reported penalties for Alonso and Russell. The grid remains subject to final FIA confirmation.
Verstappen leads Ferrari as penalties reshape midfield
Verstappen will start Sunday’s race from pole after setting a 1:31.373, securing his 50th career Formula 1 pole position and his first at Marina Bay.
Leclerc joins him on the front row, with Hamilton third and Antonelli fourth. McLaren teammates Norris and Oscar Piastri occupy the third row.
The penalties also change the starting positions further down the field. Bortoleto gains one place to start 13th, while Colapinto moves to 15th and Hadjar, who failed to set a representative qualifying time, moves to 20th.
GRANDE PRÊMIO published the complete Singapore qualifying results, including all 22 drivers and their lap times.
The Singapore Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, October 11, at 20:00 local time, equivalent to 13:00 BST in the United Kingdom and 08:00 ET in the United States and Canada. The updated Singapore GP schedule and broadcast information is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO, which follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.
