Singapore GP – Qualifying: Russell rockets to pole for Mercedes

George Russell produced a masterclass under the lights of Marina Bay to claim pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix as Mercedes stamped its authority on a tense qualifying session.

The Briton’s first flying lap in Q3 – a stunning 1m29.165s – proved unbeatable, even as his rivals threw everything at the final runs. Despite brushing the wall at Turn 17, Russell’s precision and confidence around the narrow city circuit secured him his third pole of the 2025 season and arguably his most impressive yet.

Russell’s opening Q3 run set the tone. His lap was nearly four tenths quicker than his best in Q2, and none of his rivals could get close.

• 2025 Singapore Grand Prix - Qualifying results

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen came nearest on his first attempt, falling just under two-tenths short, while championship leader Oscar Piastri and Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli filled the next two positions but couldn’t threaten the Briton’s benchmark.

Russell then went even quicker on his second attempt, shaving another 0.007s off his time to cement his place at the top. “That was a proper lap,” he radioed afterwards, clearly aware of the significance of the performance.

Verstappen’s final effort was compromised when he encountered Lando Norris’ McLaren on a cooldown lap, forcing the Dutchman to abandon the attempt. The Red Bull driver was left second on the grid — but visibly frustrated after missing the chance to challenge for pole.

Piastri In the Mix, Norris Left Frustrated

Oscar Piastri secured third place for McLaren, a solid result that keeps his championship hopes on track, while Kimi Antonelli impressed once again by taking fourth in only his rookie season.

The Mercedes rookie had endured a nervous moment earlier in qualifying when his first Q2 time was deleted for track limits, but he recovered superbly to secure a place on the second row.

Norris will start fifth after his final attempt offered only a marginal improvement, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton narrowly outqualified team-mate Charles Leclerc for sixth – the Monegasque’s late Q2 surge rescuing him from the drop zone after clipping the wall at Turn 14.

Rookie Isack Hadjar took an impressive eighth for Red Bull’s sister team, while Ollie Bearman and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10.

Midfield mayhem and late heartbreaks

Nico Hülkenberg was the unlucky casualty of Q2, pushed out at the last moment as Leclerc’s recovery lap vaulted him into the top 10.

The Haas driver’s elimination came just after he had demoted Alex Albon from the safe zone; Albon ended up 12th ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who struggled to extract pace from his tyres.

Liam Lawson salvaged 14th after two heavy crashes in practice, while Yuki Tsunoda languished in 15th, unable to find balance in his Red Bull throughout qualifying.

The session began chaotically when Pierre Gasly’s Alpine stopped with a suspected hydraulic failure at Turn 11 in Q1, ruining several drivers’ final laps.

Franco Colapinto managed to outqualify his teammate – leaving the Frenchman starting last. Gabriel Bortoleto, Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon were also early exits, the Sauber charger suffering his first Q1 elimination since Silverstone.

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