Verstappen admits Singapore sprint pole caught him by surprise: “I did not expect this”

News Summary

• Max Verstappen admits he did not expect to take Singapore sprint pole, despite Red Bull’s improved performance in recent races.
• The four-time world champion says the RB22 came alive on soft tyres during the final qualifying segment.
• Verstappen also describes the physical challenge of driving at Marina Bay, comparing the cockpit to a sauna.

Max Verstappen has admitted that his pole position for the Singapore GP sprint came as a surprise, revealing that Red Bull’s RB22 became considerably more competitive after switching to soft tyres for the final qualifying segment at Marina Bay.

The four-time world champion secured pole with a 1:31.156, beating George Russell by just 0.120s and Charles Leclerc by 0.243s. The result extended Red Bull’s recent recovery after Verstappen ended his 2026 victory drought at Sepang, although Singapore had been expected to present a more difficult challenge.

Speaking to David Coulthard immediately after sprint qualifying, Verstappen acknowledged that the narrow street circuit continued to expose weaknesses in the RB22, but said the car responded particularly well during his decisive SQ3 lap.

Verstappen says Red Bull came alive on soft tyres

Verstappen described the intensity of his final lap, with little room for error around Marina Bay’s walls and several rivals separated by only fractions of a second.

“So it’s close here in Singapore and also your lap itself, like you’re pushing as hard as you think it’s possible, close to the walls in places, but for sure once we bolted on the soft tyres it felt like the car was coming alive a little bit more,” Verstappen said. “But I did not expect this, so yeah, of course very happy to be first.”

The Dutchman had finished sixth in Friday’s only free-practice session, 0.732s behind Russell, before finding additional performance during sprint qualifying.

The change to soft tyres in SQ3 allowed Verstappen to extract more speed from the RB22, producing the fastest lap of the session despite Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren all showing competitive pace.

As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported in the complete sprint qualifying results, Verstappen secured the front-row position ahead of Russell and Leclerc, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris completing the top five.

Singapore still exposes weaknesses in Red Bull’s car

Red Bull’s recent development programme has transformed its competitiveness, allowing Verstappen to return to winning form at Sepang.

However, Marina Bay presents different demands, with repeated slow-speed corners, heavy braking zones and bumps that challenge mechanical grip and stability.

Asked whether he had expected to challenge for pole after FP1, Verstappen admitted that the circuit remained difficult for the RB22.

“I mean, I think the last few races we have been of course a lot stronger, but of course this track still highlights a few little weaknesses in the car, but we managed to drive with them as well as possible.”

The result is another encouraging sign for Red Bull after its Malaysian breakthrough. Before Singapore, Verstappen had acknowledged that his Sepang victory might not necessarily translate into similar performance at Marina Bay.

The Dutchman has never won a Grand Prix in Singapore despite finishing on the podium four times, making Marina Bay one of the remaining gaps in his Formula 1 record.

Verstappen compares Singapore cockpit to a sauna

Verstappen also addressed the physical demands of racing in Singapore, where high temperatures and humidity make the event one of the most exhausting on the Formula 1 calendar.

Asked to describe the experience of driving inside the cockpit, the Red Bull driver compared the conditions to exercising in a sauna.

“It’s just like a sauna, trying to do some exercise in it,” Verstappen said. “So yeah, it’s always very hot, you try to, you know, cool yourself as well as you can in between the runs as well, because I mean the whole cockpit is hot, so your feet, of course your body, your head and especially when you sit in the car stopping, it’s like a heat soak.”

“So yeah, it’s never comfortable, but that’s also I think quite unique about this place and in a way of course we love it as well.”

His comments come after the FIA activated its extreme heat protocol for Singapore, requiring teams to prepare driver cooling systems.

Verstappen has also questioned the effectiveness of cooling vests, arguing that the equipment restricts movement and does not maintain its cooling effect throughout a Grand Prix.

GRANDE PRÊMIO reported the criticism from Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar, who called for the equipment to be banned.

The complete Singapore GP schedule, including sprint and broadcast information is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO‘s weekend guide. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.

F1 today: FAQ

What time is Singapore GP sprint qualifying today?

Sprint qualifying starts at 20:30 Singapore time on Friday, October 9, equivalent to 13:30 BST in the UK, 08:30 ET in the United States and Canada, and 18:00 IST in India. The session determines the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint.

Who was fastest in Singapore GP FP1?

George Russell topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, driving Mercedes’ older W17 aerodynamic specification. Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.198s behind, followed by Lando Norris in third. Kimi Antonelli was seventh with the upgraded Mercedes, while Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th.

Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes at the Singapore GP?

Mercedes is comparing its previous W17 specification with the aerodynamic upgrade introduced at Sepang. Russell is using the older package, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli retains the new version. Russell led FP1, but differences in tyre compounds and run programmes mean the result alone does not establish which specification is faster.

What did Max Verstappen say about his Singapore sprint pole?

Verstappen admitted he did not expect to take pole and said his Red Bull became more competitive after switching to soft tyres during SQ3.