News Summary
- Fernando Alonso, Isack Hadjar and Lance Stroll will start the Singapore Grand Prix from the pit lane after changes to their cars under parc fermé conditions.
- Red Bull replaced several power-unit components on Hadjar’s car, while Aston Martin fitted Alonso with a new turbocharger and made suspension changes to both cars.
- George Russell moves up to 19th on the grid, despite his accumulated 60-place penalty, as three drivers are removed from the starting grid.
Fernando Alonso, Isack Hadjar and Lance Stroll will all start the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix from the pit lane after Aston Martin and Red Bull made changes to their cars following Saturday’s qualifying session at Marina Bay.
The three drivers had been due to start near the back of the field, but modifications carried out under parc fermé conditions mean they will no longer take their places on the starting grid. The changes also promote George Russell to 19th, despite the Mercedes driver carrying a cumulative 60-place grid penalty.
The FIA technical delegate’s report detailed new power-unit components fitted to Alonso’s Aston Martin and Hadjar’s Red Bull, as well as suspension setup changes involving all three cars.
Hadjar receives further power-unit changes after Singapore problems
Hadjar endured a particularly difficult Saturday, retiring from the rain-affected sprint before suffering repeated technical problems during Grand Prix qualifying.
The Red Bull driver reported that his engine had stopped during Q1, briefly managed to restart the car and return to the pits, but subsequently complained of losing gears.
He failed to record a representative qualifying lap.
Red Bull subsequently replaced several components on his RB22, including the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, exhaust set and power-unit ancillary component.
The new engine is Hadjar’s eighth of the season, while the turbocharger and exhaust set are his seventh units. The team also introduced an eighth power-unit ancillary component.
The changes were made after qualifying, with Red Bull also adjusting the car’s suspension setup.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported in its coverage of Hadjar’s qualifying problems, the Frenchman had already faced a difficult turnaround after his sprint retirement.
Alonso and Stroll both moved to pit-lane starts
Aston Martin had confirmed after qualifying that Alonso would receive different power-unit components following feedback about the performance of his AMR26.
The Spaniard had qualified 16th, while teammate Stroll finished 18th.
The FIA’s subsequent technical report confirmed that Alonso received a sixth turbocharger of the season, exceeding his permitted allocation.
Aston Martin also changed the suspension setup of both cars after qualifying.
Those modifications mean Alonso and Stroll will both start from the pit lane, rather than their previously expected grid positions.
GRANDE PRÊMIO reported Aston Martin’s decision to change Alonso’s power unit, following comments from Mike Krack about the team’s lack of pace.
Russell promoted to 19th despite 60-place penalty
The three pit-lane starts also change the order of the remaining drivers at the back of the grid.
Russell had qualified sixth but was sent to the back after Mercedes exceeded the permitted allocation of several power-unit components.
His original 40-place penalty increased to 60 places following additional changes to the energy store and control electronics.
However, with Alonso, Hadjar and Stroll no longer taking positions on the starting grid, Russell moves up to 19th, becoming the final driver scheduled to start from the grid itself.
The complete explanation of Russell’s 60-place penalty is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO.
Singapore GP 2026 — revised back of the starting grid
| Position | Driver | Team | Starting status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | Grid |
| 17 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | Grid |
| 18 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | Grid |
| 19 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | Grid — 60-place penalty |
| Pit lane | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | Power-unit and suspension changes |
| Pit lane | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | Suspension changes |
| Pit lane | I. HADJAR | Red Bull RBPT Ford | Power-unit and suspension changes |
The order in which the three pit-lane starters will be released is subject to the race director’s procedures.
The Singapore Grand Prix begins at 20:00 local time on Sunday, October 11, equivalent to 13:00 BST in the United Kingdom and 08:00 ET in the United States and Canada.
The Singapore GP race schedule and broadcast information are available in GRANDE PRÊMIO, which follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the weekend.
