Verstappen takes Singapore sprint pole as Red Bull’s resurgence continues

News Summary

• Max Verstappen secured Singapore sprint pole with a 1:31.156, beating George Russell and Charles Leclerc.
• Gabriel Bortoleto finished 14th, while Franco Colapinto was eliminated in SQ2 and Carlos Sainz finished last.
• Sergio Pérez’s crash triggered a red flag, before an FIA timing-system failure delayed SQ2 and raised questions about the session’s continuation.

Max Verstappen continued Red Bull’s resurgence by securing pole position for the first sprint race in Singapore GP history on Friday, October 9, producing a 1:31.156 in the closing stages of a chaotic qualifying session at Marina Bay.

The four-time world champion arrived in Singapore after ending his 2026 victory drought at Sepang and demonstrated that Red Bull’s improved competitiveness could extend to a very different circuit. Verstappen delivered his decisive lap late in SQ3, beating George Russell and Charles Leclerc, who had briefly threatened to take pole for Ferrari.

The session featured several interruptions, including Sergio Pérez’s collision with the barriers, a red flag and a subsequent failure in the FIA’s timing systems. The technical problem delayed SQ2 while officials investigated missing lap times before confirming that the classification was correct.

Verstappen beats Ferrari and Mercedes in final SQ3 attack

Russell had established himself as the early favourite after topping Friday’s only practice session with Mercedes’ older aerodynamic specification. However, Verstappen demonstrated his pace immediately in SQ1, setting the fastest time despite completing only one competitive lap after the red flag.

Ferrari became Red Bull’s main challenger in SQ2, with Leclerc setting a 1:32.246 to lead Hamilton and Norris. Verstappen finished fifth in that segment, while Russell narrowly avoided elimination after struggling with a lock-up during one of his attempts.

The final eight-minute session began with Norris setting the benchmark before Leclerc improved to 1:31.568. Hamilton also challenged but could not convert a strong opening sector into the fastest lap.

Verstappen then produced a 1:31.156, beating Leclerc’s subsequent 1:31.399. Russell secured second place to split Verstappen and the Ferrari driver on the sprint grid.

The result gives Verstappen another opportunity to end his Singapore victory drought. Despite winning at 26 different circuits, the Dutchman has never won a Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Russell puts old Mercedes on front row as Antonelli struggles

Mercedes’ experiment with two aerodynamic specifications remained one of the central stories of Friday’s running.

Russell returned to the older W17 package after the team’s disappointing Malaysian weekend, while Antonelli initially retained the updated configuration. Before sprint qualifying, however, Mercedes removed the new front wing from Antonelli’s car and returned that component to the previous specification.

Russell had already topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, providing encouragement for the team after his engine failure at Sepang.

As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported earlier on Friday, Toto Wolff acknowledged that the updated car appeared more difficult to drive, while the older specification offered greater stability and grip.

Russell’s front-row start is particularly valuable because his engine penalty applies to Sunday’s Grand Prix rather than Saturday’s sprint. The Briton therefore retains an opportunity to score eight points in the shorter race as he attempts to reduce Antonelli’s 84-point championship advantage.

Pérez crash and FIA timing failure disrupt qualifying

The first major interruption came during SQ1 when Pérez struck the barriers at Turn 4, damaging his Cadillac’s front wing.

The Mexican managed to reverse away and return to the pit lane, but debris from the damaged car forced race control to display a red flag.

GRANDE PRÊMIO reported the accident and subsequent interruption, which left several drivers with limited opportunities to complete their qualifying attempts.

The disruption was followed by another problem when the FIA discovered that some lap times had not been registered correctly.

“[The] start of SQ2 will be delayed due to an issue with timing systems, some lap times had not been registered,” the governing body announced.

“That is now resolved and the current timings are considered correct. We are investigating whether we can proceed with the rest of the session.”

Officials eventually authorised the continuation of qualifying, with SQ2 rescheduled for 22:11 local time.

The accident also produced a separate controversy involving Verstappen, after Hamilton reported that the Red Bull driver had overtaken him under yellow flags. The FIA noted the incident for investigation after the session.

Singapore GP 2026 — complete sprint qualifying results

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.

Who took pole for the 2026 Singapore GP sprint?

Max Verstappen secured sprint pole with a 1:31.156, ahead of George Russell and Charles Leclerc.