Verstappen on pole as he hunts first Singapore Grand Prix win

Max Verstappen secured the coveted pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix, further solidifying his quest for a historic first win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The Dutch driver's dominant weekend continued with his victory in the sprint race earlier. Verstappen posted an impressive lap time of 1:31.373 to outpace the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who were fourth in the Mercedes.

Championship leader Kimi Antonsen finished fourth in the Mercedes, while Lando Norris and George Russell rounded out the top 10, with the latter set to start from the back of the grid due to a penalty for excessive new parts usage.

Verstappen expressed his delight at being on pole, stating, "I'm very happy to be on pole because this is the one I wanted." He praised the car's strong performance during the qualifying sessions, acknowledging that there are always areas that could be improved upon. Verstappen's Red Bull, much like in Malaysia a week ago, struggled with a sluggish start from pole, allowing Russell to take the lead before crashing.

The Dutchman urged his team to address this issue ahead of Sunday's race, emphasizing the importance of a strong start given the tight street circuit and limited overtaking opportunities.

Meanwhile, Leclerc secured the second spot on the grid, while Hamilton failed to make it into the top 10. The session was entirely dry, following the earlier rain-affected sprint race.