Lando Norris took his fifth pole position of the 2024 F1 season; Max Verstappen will join him on the front row with Lewis Hamilton in third to set up a fascinating race; watch the Singapore GP live on Sky Sports F1 at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up from 11.30am
Saturday 21 September 2024 19:26, UK
Lando Norris took pole position from championship leader Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in a dramatic qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Norris, who trails Verstappen by 59 points in the championship, beat his rival by 0.203s as Q3 all came down to one lap due to a crash from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the final corner.
The McLaren driver was on course to be on pole before the red flag caused by Sainz, and delivered a superb lap at the end, as Verstappen joined him on the front row ahead of Hamilton.
Hamilton had struggled throughout practice but pipped team-mate George Russell to third, so Mercedes could play a role in the battle between the title protagonists.
Oscar Piastri will start the Singapore Grand Prix from fifth, with Haas' Nico Hulkenberg and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso behind him.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was initially seventh but had his lap deleted due to a track limits excursion, so will start in ninth alongside Sainz in 10th.
Only two drivers had a lap time on the board when Sainz crashed four minutes into Q3 at the last turn as he was preparing for a flying lap.
Piastri was in first on a 1:30.037 but his time was expected to be beaten due to the track ramping up and it set up a big showdown at the end of qualifying.
The McLarens elected to leave the pit lane first to avoid the risk of a yellow or red flag and Norris set a blistering middle sector to do a 1:29.525, which was enough for pole position.
"It was tough, especially through qualifying. I was finding it a little difficult to progress much and gain a lot of lap time," said Norris.
"And all of the guys around seemed to get quicker and quicker, so it put me under a bit more pressure, especially with just one lap at the end.
"It was good enough for pole and I'm happy with that, especially here in Singapore. A good feeling. I've felt good all weekend, I've felt confident, maybe not so much in qualy but we got the job done."
Verstappen crossed the line two tenths behind on a track Red Bull were expected to be off the pace at, so the reigning world champion was delighted to be on the front row.
Hamilton was fastest in the last sector as he found the optimal tyre window to secure his best qualifying since the summer break and beat Russell by 0.026s.
"Qualifying has been a disaster for me all year long and I've been working, working and working trying to get myself back up there. All of a sudden the car came alive for the first time in qualifying in a long time," said Hamilton.
"[The red flag was] a bit of a shame, as we were getting into a rhythm, but it was the same for all of us, and in that lap at the end was a little bit tricky. I think there was a tiny bit more left in the car but I'm really grateful for it."
Most drivers were unhappy about their tyre performance throughout qualifying, including the Mercedes drivers who found time at the end of Q3.
Piastri would have hoped to join Norris at the front but was bumped down to fifth as Ferrari had a qualifying to forget.
Both Sainz and Leclerc were expected to contend for pole but were off the pace throughout Saturday. Their woes were made worse when neither driver set a lap in Q3 due to Sainz's crash and Leclerc cutting Turn Two, which resulted in his lap being deleted.
Sergio Perez will have to race through the field from 13th after a frustrating Q2. The Mexican was in the bottom five ahead of his last run and improved his time, but not by enough, so missed out on the last part of qualifying by 0.180s.
Red Bull are 20 points behind McLaren in the Constructors' Championship, so could fall further behind with six races to go after Sunday.
"We tried a lot of things with the car over the weekend. I'm a bit surprised at what went wrong in Q2," said Perez.
"In Q1 I made a mistake on my lap but I still went slower in Q2. It was all about the tyres, I couldn't get them in the window.
"It's been a tricky weekend and tomorrow will be a long afternoon, so hopefully we can minimise the damage."
Daniel Ricciardo's future us up in the air, with the possibility that he will not drive for RB after this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.
The Australian desperately needed a strong qualifying but he was eliminated in Q1 and will start in 16th.
Sunday September 22
8.30am: F1 Academy Race Two
11:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP build-up
1pm: The SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Singapore GP reaction
4pm: Ted's Notebook
Formula 1's thrilling 2024 season continues live on Sky Sports F1 under the lights at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday at 2pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime
