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-times world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in third and fourth places.

Hamilton’s third place is his best qualifying since he was second on the grid at the British Grand Prix.

The pole was 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.

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 that 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.

The full start list are as follows:

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

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger