F1 Singapore GP live commentary and updates – qualifying

That's it from qualifying

George Russell on pole, Max Verstappen second – and dining on a plate of sour grapes after aborting his final flying lap – Oscar Piastri third.

We'll be surprised if anything comes of the supposed impeding since Max appeared to get Turns 16/17 wrong all by himself and lash out at the person closest to him on track.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

We've reviewed the vinegar strokes of Verstappen's final lap and Lando Norris was running ahead, on a cool-down lap and then heading to the pits, but he doesn't look to have been close enough to have impeded Max.

GEORGE RUSSELL ON POLE

A seventh career pole position for George Russell. 0.182s faster than Verstappen in P2.

Piastri, third, indicated on the radio that he didn't think the car had any more in it.

Piastri also doesn't improve.

And - scenes! Verstappen backs off in sector three. "You can thank your mate for that" says engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. Fishing for an impeding penalty?

Hamilton also not quick enough to move up beyond his previous P6.

Russell shaves 0.007s off his previous best to stay P1 for now.

Leclerc also not quick enough to advance beyond his current P7.

PB in sector two for Norris, time for him to seize the moment... 1m29.586. Inadequate!

Norris on a flier, what can he do? No, 0.230s off in his first sector. He'll need the miracle Simple Minds promised to make something out of this.

The data screen responds to our arched eyebrow and updates to reflect Hamilton being on used softs.

Second flying laps are about to begin. Our data screen tells us Hamilton is on new softs but our eyes tell us he isn't, because they're conspicuously lacking that new-tyre sheen. 

So after the first flying laps Russell sits in P1 with Verstappen just 0.175s off, Piastri 0.359s down, Antonelli 0.372s, and Norris 0.442s.

Replays show Piastri also giving a barrier a tap as he exited the penultimate corner.

Antonelli, Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc and Hadjar can't beat Russell's time. Can Piastri? No! 1m29.524s. Can Verstappen? No! 1m29.340s.

Russell clonks the exit barrier at Turn 17 with his right-rear wheel but keeps his boot in and posts a 1m29.165s.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty Images

The gap between Russell in P1 at the end of Q2 and Bearman in P10, is 0.514s.

The gap from first to fifth is 0.251s but the McLaren drivers are at the wrong end of that.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty Images

So out in Q2 are Hulkenberg, Albon, Sainz, Lawson and Tsunoda.

Scrappy first sector for Leclerc, his second one is a PB, can he make it into the top 10? Yes he can - not his best quali lap ever but Charles is a couple of hundredths faster than his team-mate and goes P6.

Leclerc still P15, Tsunoda still P14.

Bearman goes P9, knocking Sainz into P11 as this stands.

0.087s between the two Mercs. Verstappen posts himself into that gap, 0.010s off Russell...

Russell even faster than his team-mate - 1m29.562s.

He's also been exonerated for that yellow-flag infringement.

Out of the regular top 10 runners it's crunch time for Antonelli and Tsunoda, who are P15 and P12.

Well not any more for Antonelli - 1m29.649s! P1.

Piastri and Norris out on new sets of soft tyres.

Team radio to Verstappen indicates his team believe that lap is good enough to stay in the game. Nevertheless he's now back out again with five minutes of the session left, on a new set of tyres according to our data.

Over the kerbs at Turn 2 for Antonelli - that was why his time was deleted.

Charles Leclerc has kissed the wall on his lap and is 0.725s off Verstappen after those first runs, P13.

Our data feed showing Russell on used tyres so it'll be interesting to see if this lap is good enough to stick.

1m30.192s - 0.445s off Verstappen.

Lando Norris currently P2 with 1m30.008s – no, scratch that, now P4 because he's been deposed by team-mate Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton. Both Piastri and Norris also on used softs according to our data.

Antonelli has had a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits.

.380s would be a super-jumbo time, of course. But we digress.

Max Verstappen is among the first to get a time on the board and he's P1, 1m29.747s. A jumbo time?

Yeah he'll be pulling this face.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

That could change the shape of the grid a little but in terms of whether it shaped Q1 eliminations, Russell was well through anyway even if that lap is struck off.

Bortoleto didn't get through but Tsunoda did - as did Hulkenberg. So Stroll may have reason to be even grumpier than usual.

Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Russell and Stroll have been noted for yellow-flag infringements. 

Stroll has now been exonerated - it was academic anyway.

Tsunoda, Bortoleto, Hulkenberg and Russell "will be investigated after the session".

DELAY REPAY

Start of Q2 is being delayed while Pierre Gasly's car is recovered - despite his best efforts to park it considerately - and race control examines those laps set during the local yellow to cover it.

As you can imagine, those drivers eliminated in Q1 will be harrumphing if they feel they've been stitched up by other people 'speeding'.

Hat tip to George Russell, who went P2 during the last-minute lappery.

EARLY BATH

So, out in Q1: Bortoleto, Stroll, Colapinto, Ocon and the unfortunately stranded Gasly.

Hulkenberg escapes the drop zone, Bortoleto doesn't, neither does Ocon.

There will be careful scrutiny of Hulkenberg's data to establish whether he lifted sufficiently as he passed the yellow-flag zone.

Verstappen improves his time, but not enough to exceed Norris – but Hamilton goes P1 with 1m29.765s.

Piastri is out but he's had an issue somewhere in the middle sector and has not improved his time.

Yellow flag as Pierre Gasly has halted just ahead of the Anderson Bridge.

Given that Piastri is half a second off P1, he must feel vulnerable...