Under the bright lights of the Singapore Grand Prix, George Russell delivered an impressive qualifying performance to clinch pole position for Mercedes. Recorded on Saturday, his lap times surpassed expectations, marking only Mercedes’ second pole of the season and their first since June. This achievement was all the more remarkable given that Russell’s initial Q3 lap included a significant brush against the wall in the penultimate corner.
Russell’s final lap time of 1:29.158 was nearly two-tenths of a second faster than second-placed Max Verstappen, firmly establishing him at the top of the grid. Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, secured second place but was unable to surpass Russell’s pace, while the McLaren drivers, including title contender Lando Norris, were unable to match the front-runners.
McLaren’s Struggles and Verstappen’s Frustration Over On-Track Traffic
The Singapore qualifying session highlighted ongoing challenges for McLaren, with Norris finishing only fifth in a race where overtaking is known to be difficult. Title leader Oscar Piastri managed a third-place starting position but was still off the pace set by Russell and Verstappen. Kimi Antonelli, driving the second Mercedes, took fourth place.
Tensions rose when Verstappen expressed frustration over Norris’s role in compromising his final lap. During his in-lap, Norris was slower through the final sector, which Red Bull’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase pointed out directly on team radio, saying,
“You can thank your mate for that.”
Verstappen echoed this irritability after the session, stating,
“That’s noted, it will be remembered as well,”
clearly referencing the incident.
Ferrari’s Decline and Driver Positions Behind Front-Runners
While Ferrari showed initial promise by setting strong times in the early qualifying rounds, their pace diminished as the session progressed, leaving Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton behind in sixth and seventh place, respectively. Notably, Hamilton outqualified Leclerc and will lead for Ferrari. However, neither driver was satisfied with their starting positions for the race.
The top ten was rounded out by Isack Hadjar representing Racing Bulls in eighth, Haas driver Oliver Bearman in ninth, and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin securing tenth place.
Starting Grid for the Singapore Grand Prix
The full top ten starting lineup for the Singapore GP is as follows:
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
- Oliver Bearman, Haas
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
Upcoming Race Expectations and Broadcast Details
The Singapore Grand Prix race will take place under lights on Sunday, promising intense competition as the 2025 Formula 1 season title fight intensifies. Given the difficulty of overtaking on this circuit, starting positions will heavily influence race strategies and potential outcomes.
The event coverage begins early Sunday with support races like the F1 Academy Race 2 at 8:20 a.m., followed by the Singapore GP build-up at 11:30 a.m., and the main Grand Prix starting at 1 p.m., all broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Post-race reaction and analysis will continue with highlights and Ted’s Notebook at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
