As It Happened: George Russell Leads Practice Session As Max Verstappen Poles In Singapore GP Sprint Quali

 

Max Verstappen has never won a race in Marina Bay until the Sprint qualifying session. George Russell dominated the first practice ahead of the Sprint qualifying, while his teammate was acquainted with the track. 

Singapore GP Practice Session 

George Russell set the fastest lap in Singapore to lead the practice session in Marina Bay as F1 drivers, including defending champion Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, and Max Verstappen, struggled with the track. 

Verstappen was dismayed at the surface where he has never won a race. He complained about his inability to push harder, losing lap time to what he described as the track's "slippery" nature. Kimi Antonelli sped off track at Turn 16, getting acquainted with the track. 

Ferrari had an impressive practice session, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc nearly ran into Liam Lawson down the straight while Hamilton locked up at Turn 1 but set an impressive lap time that put him in the top five.

In retrospect, Russell will start the final race from the back, after the engine penalty he received at the Bahrain Grand Prix.  Russell and Antonelli will be racing on different specs. The Brit will race in the older W16 spec, and his teammate will race in the new brand in the meantime until Mercedes resolves the engine issue with their Sepang aerodynamic car. 

Audi drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, will race in a more obvious colour, what the team described as "special livery" deliveries: a titanium silver-grey car. The drivers will be wearing slightly different costumes designed by Adidas. 

Singapore GP Practice Session Top 10

1. George Russell (Mercedes)...1:32.274

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

8. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bull)

Singapore Grand Prix Sprint Race 

Max Verstappen claimed his first-ever Sprint qualifying pole in Marina Bay, edging Charles Leclerc and George Russell to start the Singapore Grand Prix from pole.

Cadillac had a disappointing start to Sprint Qualifying, crashing out in SQ 1 first, with Sergio Perez running the wall at Turn 5, and a red flag was deployed. Both Valtteri Bottas and Perez finished outside the top 16 and were eliminated in the first session. Verstappen, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton led the session in P1, P2, and P3, respectively,

Charles Leclerc poled in SQ2, setting the fastest lap time of 1:32.246. Russell narrowly made the top 10 of SQ3 after Alpine's Frances Colapinto edged him out on his final run. The Brit returned to the grid for his second run and delivered. Colapinto was eliminated while Pierre Gasly made the top-10 shootout.

Ferrai was having a provisional pole with Leclerc before the Monégasque driver was edged out by Russell and Verstappen in P2 and P2, respectively. The Red Bull driver poled with two-tenths of a second faster than Russell, who finished five places ahead of his teammate, Kimi Antonelli. 

Singapore Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying Top 10 

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)...1:31.155

2. George Russell (Mercedes)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

5. Lando Norris (McLaren)

6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 

8. Liam Lawson (Racing Red Bull)

9. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 

10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)