- Verstappen Claims 50th Career Pole as Ferrari Duo Line Up Behind in Singapore
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix after narrowly beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in a closely contested qualifying session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
The Red Bull driver produced a lap of one minute, 31.373 seconds to finish just 0.054 seconds ahead of Leclerc, claiming the 50th pole position of his Formula One career and his first for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton qualified third in the second Ferrari, only 0.123 seconds behind Verstappen, after setting the pace in both Q1 and Q2.
However, Hamilton was unable to reproduce that advantage during the decisive final runs in Q3. Leclerc improved on his last lap to move ahead of his teammate and secure a front-row starting position alongside Verstappen.
The result completed a strong qualifying weekend for Verstappen, who also started the Sprint from pole before going on to win the shortened race ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc.
Despite Verstappen’s advantage, Ferrari’s pace suggests the Dutchman could face sustained pressure during Sunday’s Grand Prix. With Leclerc and Hamilton starting directly behind him, Ferrari will have two cars available to apply strategic pressure on Red Bull through tyre choices and pit-stop timing.
Track position is particularly important in Singapore, where overtaking opportunities can be limited and safety-car interventions frequently influence race strategy.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth for Mercedes, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and teammate George Russell.
Russell recorded the sixth-fastest time but will start from the back of the grid because of an engine-related penalty following his power-unit failure at the previous race. The sanction gives Antonelli an opportunity to strengthen his championship advantage over Russell, who entered the weekend 89 points behind.
Oscar Piastri qualified seventh for McLaren, while Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson and Red Bull rookie Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10.
Verstappen’s pole also extended Ferrari’s wait for a first full Grand Prix pole position of the 2026 season. Nevertheless, having both cars inside the top three gives the Italian team one of its strongest opportunities of the campaign to challenge for victory.
The narrow margins indicate that Sunday’s contest may be decided by the start, tyre management and strategic execution rather than outright qualifying speed. Verstappen holds the initial advantage, but Ferrari’s two-car presence behind him leaves Red Bull with little margin for error.
