"I don't look at it as a dry spell"- Lewis Hamilton dismisses recent struggles
Max Verstappen could claim his second world title this weekend despite his Red Bull team potentially being in trouble for breaching cost-cap regulations as Formula One returns to the Marina Bay street circuit for the first time since 2019 for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Following his fifth win in succession at Monza two weeks ago, Verstappen’s championship lead stands at 116 points with only 164 available, meaning he will take the crown if he outscores Charles Leclerc by 22 points, Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez by 13 points, and Mercedes’ George Russell by six points.
Verstappen has won the last five races, stretching back to France in mid-July, and with 11 Grand Prix victories this season has the opportunity to break Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher’s joint-record of 13 wins in a single season.
Due to Covid, Singapore was missing from the calendar in 2020 and 2021 but returns this year. Vettel won in 2019 for Ferrari, the last time the soon-to-be retired German triumphed in F1. Lewis Hamilton, looking for his first win of the season, is a four-time winner in Singapore. Hamilton was fastest in FP1 on Friday - topping a session for the first time in 2022 - with Carlos Sainz quickest in second practice.
Follow all the action live with The Independent - qualifying started at 2pm (BST).
F1 qualifying - Singapore Grand Prix: Sergio Perez...
“It’s a good opportunity tomorrow to attack Charles tommorow. Disappointing to miss sout on pole by 0.022 seconds.
“It was so tricky to learn the conditions today, could be wet again tomorrow.”
F1 qualifying - Singapore Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc:
“It was a very tricky qualifying. We want for the softs at the last minute but it paid off. I did a mistake in my last lap but it was just enough for pole.
“Every qualifying on street tracks are on the limit but overall it was a clean lap.”
F1 qualifying - Singapore Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc on pole!
Charles Leclerc has nicked pole position at Marina Bay! Max Verstappen was on for first spot but then pits at the final corner - he was told to pit by his engineer. Why?!
Frantic end to qualifying, with the track constantly drying. Sergio Perez is second and Lewis Hamilton is third, 0.054 seconds behind Leclerc - so so close!
“What the f*** are you guys saying, what the f*** is this about?!” - a fuming Max Verstappen.
Christian Horner replies: “We’ll tell you in a minute.”
Perhaps the car didn’t have enough fuel in the car for the prerequisite sample...
Hamilton is still on pole in Singapore - he’s 0.376 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen! Sergio Perez is in third, 0.728 seconds off Hamilton, while Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are fourth and fifth respecitvely...
6-10: Alonso, Norris, Tsunoda, Gasly, Magnussen
Can Hamilton claim his first pole of the year, in round 17 of the 2022 season?!
(AFP via Getty Images)
Engrossing stuff here - Lewis Hamilton goes quickest on softs - by TWO SECONDS! Yuki Tsunoda is the man in second too, on intermediates!
Charles Leclerc third, Max Verstappen fourth and Lando Norris fifth. The gap from Hamilton-Norris is 5.4 seconds though!
F1 qualifying - Singapore Grand Prix: Q3 is underway!
So, how will the track evolve in the next 12 minutes to make it suitable for slick tyres? Most cars out on soft tyres at the beginning here!
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari was prepped with intermediates, before the man himself insisted they switch to softs! His team-mate Sainz on softs...
Kevin Magnussen and Yuki Tsunoda, however, are on intermediates. So, who will be on pole in Singapore?!
F1 qualifying - Singapore Grand Prix: Q2 DONE!
George Russell is out in Q2! He’s 0.006 seconds from 10th, held by Kevin Magnussen. A shocker for the Mercedes man there...
Looks like the track isn’t quite ready for slicks, with the Astons and Zhou both struggling. Terrific session for the AlphaTauris though, with Gasly and Tsunoda both through to the top-10 shootout. Sebastian Vettel went straight on at turn 7 as he struggled to control his Aston Martin on soft tyres.
Out of qualifying, 11-15: Russell, Stroll, Schumacher, Vettel, Zhou
Russell: “Sorry guys I really sturggled, exactly the same problem as FP1. What a shame!”
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
George Russell in potential trouble here in Q2 - on inters he is only P7, four-tenths ahead of P11.
Incidentally, Zhou Guanyu has also switched to soft tyres. Just the Alfa Romeo and both Aston Martins on slicks then...
Current 11-15: Vettel, Schumacher, Magnussen, Zhou, Tsunoda
Will there be any change to that order? Pierre Gasly the man in danger at the moment in P10.
Charles Leclerc leads the way at the moment, 0.380 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, with Sergio Perez third and Carlos Sainz fourth.
Lewis Hamilton in fifth, George Russell currently in the 11-15 dangerzone.
Current 11-15: Schumacher, Magnussen, Zhou, Russell, Tsunoda
Leclerc wanted to box for slicks but Ferrari put inters on his car. Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel, the Aston Martins, DO switch to slicks though! Fascinating few minutes ahead...
F1 qualifying - Singapore Grand Prix: Q2 underway!
Who will make it into the top-10 shootout in Singapore this afternoon? Charles Leclerc - who was on pole the last time F1 was in Singapore in 2019 - notes that the track is drying out quickly... will there be any slick tyres used in this session?
All 15 cars out on inters for the time being at Marina Bay! Will we get any surprise names in the final 10?
(AFP via Getty Images)
