McLaren’s Lando Norris will be on pole for the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, with Red Bull’s current Formula One champion, Max Verstappen, also on the front row.

Norris was 0.203 seconds quicker than Verstappen, with the Mercedes of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in third and fourth places.

Carlos Sainz. Photo: Facebook

Hamilton’s third place is his best qualifying since he was second on the grid at the British Grand Prix. The pole is Norris’s fifth of the season, sixth of his career, and third in the last four races.

In a dramatic turn of events, the final phase of qualifying was halted when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz hit the barriers at the final corner. The crash meant Verstappen had his flying lap deleted under yellow flag rules. Seven drivers had only eight minutes to get a time on the board.

Oscar Piastri. Photo: Facebook

Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri, winner of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend, will start in fifth place. Qualifying was a nightmare for Ferrari. In addition to the Spaniard’s crash, team-mate Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits and will start ninth.

After qualifying, Verstappen – who has yet to win in Singapore – told Reuters he was happy to be in the front row. “I’ll take second. I’m happy with that ... in Singapore, a lot of things can happen, but at least we have a shot at it like this,” he said.

Lando Norris. Photo: Facebook

The start list:

• Lando Norris (McLaren)
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
• George Russell (Mercedes)
• Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
• Nico Hulkenburg (Haasi)
• Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
• Yuki Tsunoda (Honda)
• Charl LeClerc (Ferrari)
• Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
• Alex Albon (Williams)
• Franco Colapinto (Williams)
• Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
• Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
• Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
• Daniel Ricciardo (Honda)
• Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
• Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
• Valterri Bottas (Sauber)
• Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg/mc