Lando Norris edges Max Verstappen for pole position in Singapore as Daniel Ricciardo bombs out
Formula 1's two main title contenders will start together on the front row at the Singapore Grand Prix as Lando Norris edged ahead of his title rival Max Verstappen in qualifying.
The session turned into a one-lap shootout for the top positions when a crash for Carlos Sainz interrupted the final session on a troubled day for Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo.
The Australian Ricciardo qualified 16th — eight places behind RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda — as his place on the grid comes under threat.
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RB could replace Ricciardo with Red Bull's reserve driver Liam Lawson for the last six rounds of the championship, starting with next month's United States Grand Prix.
Daniel Ricciardo looks on after qualifying ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. Mark Thompson via Getty Images
New Zealand driver Lawson has been promised a full-time drive in 2025 within the Red Bull Racing family.
Lawson's contract reportedly requires Red Bull to offer him a race seat for next year by the end of September or make him a free agent.
It has also been reported that a second clause in Lawson's contract guarantees him a minimum number of grand prix starts this season.
This is believed to be either five or six — with six grand prix weekends remaining in 2024 after Singapore.
Norris edged Verstappen to claim pole position, but only just.
“I was finding it a little difficult to progress much and to get a lot of lap time and more of the guys around seemed to get quicker and quicker,” he said afterwards.
Pole sitter Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton after qualifying ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. Kym Illman via Getty Images
“So it put me under a little bit more pressure, especially with just one lap at the end, but it was good enough for pole and I’m happy with that.”
The McLaren driver was 0.203 of a second ahead of Verstappen to start on pole, with Lewis Hamilton third for Mercedes, 0.316 off Norris' time.
Pole position for Norris was a contrast to qualifying in Azerbaijan last week when he was 15th on the grid after a yellow flag warning ruined his lap, but recovered to finish fourth, ahead of Verstappen.
Verstappen, who said he was happy with second after struggling for grip in practice in his Red Bull, leads Norris in the standings by 59 points. There are seven rounds of the championship remaining, including Sunday's race. A front-row start means Verstappen could limit the damage to his lead even if Norris wins.
Verstappen has never won in Singapore, which was also the only track where the all-conquering Red Bull team didn't win last season.
Hamilton had his best qualifying result since the British Grand Prix in July — which he went on to win — in a season where the seven-time champion has struggled for single-lap pace.
“Qualifying has been a disaster for me all year long and I’ve just been working and working and working, trying to get myself back up there,” he said.
“All of a sudden the car came alive in qualifying for the first time in a long time.”
Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri, the winner in Azerbaijan last week, was only fifth after going slower in the top-10 session than he had earlier in qualifying.
After Hamilton, Mercedes also had George Russell fourth in one of its better qualifying sessions this year, but it was a day to forget for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted in the final session for going off track and Sainz crashed.
Sainz, the Singapore winner in 2023, spun into the wall in what he called a “big snap” of the steering, possibly caused by cold tyres. The car was left with damage to the rear end and Sainz, who seemed unhurt, qualified 10th.
Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was only 13th in another disappointing result this season.
