McLaren driver Lando Norris clinched pole position for the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024, set to start first on the grid on Sunday, 22 September. Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen will line up second, with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in third. This marks Norris’ first pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix, intensifying the championship battle as Verstappen, a three-time world champion, aims for his fourth title with 313 points. Norris, currently second in the championship with 254 points, is his main rival. McLaren leads the World Constructors’ Championship with 476 points, while Oracle Red Bull Racing struggles with a performance slump.
Background
This year’s championship sees Verstappen, who has won seven out of 17 races, facing a tough challenge from Norris. Verstappen’s team, Oracle Red Bull Racing, has not secured a win in the past seven races. The team’s Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey, will join Aston Martin Aramco F1 team in 2025. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri won the last race in Azerbaijan, further boosting the team’s morale.
Q1
Drivers struggled with grip on the track, leading to several incidents. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will face the race stewards for not following the race director’s instructions. Daniel Riccardo, rumoured to lose his seat at Visa Cash App RB to reserve driver Liam Lawson, failed to perform, finishing 16th. His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, secured 10th place.
Drivers out:
- 16th: Daniel Riccardo
- 17th: Lance Stroll
- 18th: Pierre Gasly
- 19th: Valtteri Bottas
- 20th: Zhou Guanyu
Q2
Verstappen narrowly avoided disaster early in the session, though his lap time was deleted for exceeding track limits. His teammate, Sergio Perez, qualified 13th, the same position as last year.
Drivers out:
- 11th: Alex Albon
- 12th: Franco Colapinto
- 13th: Sergio Perez
- 14th: Kevin Magnussen
- 15th: Esteban Ocon
Q3
Last year’s winner, Sainz, crashed into the barriers, bringing out the red flag with 8:04 minutes left. He was uninjured but visibly dejected. The session resumed at 10:07 pm, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso noted for an unsafe release. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted, starting ninth. Ultimately, Norris clinched pole position.
Top 10 starting grid:
- 10th: Carlos Sainz
- 9th: Charles Leclerc
- 8th: Yuki Tsunoda
- 7th: Fernando Alonso
- 6th: Nico Hulkenberg
- 5th: Oscar Piastri
- 4th: George Russell
- 3rd: Lewis Hamilton
- 2nd: Max Verstappen
- 1st: Lando Norris
Why is qualifying so important at the Singapore Grand Prix?
The Singapore circuit’s concrete barriers and winding corners make overtaking risky. The track has reduced its corners from 24 to 19 and increased DRS zones to aid overtaking, but a good qualifying position remains crucial. In 2023, Carlos Sainz won from pole position, the only race Verstappen didn’t win in his dominant season.
