Mercedes' George Russell Claims Singapore GP Pole While McLaren Struggle

George Russell delivered a stunning performance to claim pole position for Mercedes at the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday, edging out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen around the challenging Marina Bay Circuit.

Russell clocked a blistering 1 minute 29.158 seconds, finishing 0.182 seconds ahead of Verstappen. Championship leader Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren, with Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes taking fourth to split the McLarens. Lando Norris could only manage fifth.

“Amazing to be on pole position,” said Russell. “Yesterday was a very challenging day for many different reasons, but it’s good to come back and get a result. A long, sweaty race awaits tomorrow, but I knew there was potential in the car. Kimi’s been doing an amazing

job all weekend.”

The Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc lined up sixth and seventh, followed by Isack Hadjar (RB), Oliver Bearman (Haas), and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) completing the top ten.

Verstappen, winner of the last two races in Monza and Baku, is closing in on McLaren’s dominance in both championships. A first-ever win in Singapore could keep his bid for a fifth straight world title alive, as he trails Piastri by 69 points and Norris by 44. McLaren, meanwhile, can secure the constructors’ championship this weekend with a podium finish.

Further down the order, Liam Lawson recovered to qualify 14th after crashing his RB for the second consecutive practice session. Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) was 11th, missing the Q3 shootout alongside Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, and Yuki Tsunoda.

Hamilton escaped penalty after stewards ruled he “did not drive in a manner that could be considered unsafe” during a red flag incident.

Sunday’s race is expected to be the first official Formula One “Heat Hazard” event, with temperatures above 31°C.

Teams have been instructed to equip cars with liquid-cooled vests and refrigerant systems, though their use remains optional.

(with agency inputs)