Lando Norris claims pole position at Singapore Grand Prix

Lando Norris achieved pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix after a dramatic qualifying session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The session was interrupted by a red flag caused by Carlos Sainz's crash, which left just over eight minutes for the remaining drivers to complete their laps. Prior to the incident, Oscar Piastri had been on provisional pole, while Norris was in sixth place after a disappointing practice session earlier that day. Max Verstappen faced a setback when his lap time was deleted due to double yellow flags at Turn 18, where Sainz crashed. Despite this, Verstappen managed to secure a front-row start with a strong final lap. The Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, qualified third and fourth respectively, showcasing their competitive edge in the session. Other notable performances included Nico Hülkenberg qualifying sixth, alongside Piastri in fifth. Charles Leclerc's final lap was invalidated due to track limits, resulting in a ninth-place start. Sergio Pérez's elimination in Q2 marked a significant moment, as it was the first time since Hungary that he did not advance to Q3, raising questions about Red Bull's performance. Daniel Ricciardo struggled, being knocked out in Q1, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda qualified eighth. Kevin Magnussen returned to racing after a one-race ban, qualifying in 14th position. The qualifying session set the stage for an exciting race, with championship contenders Norris and Verstappen starting side-by-side.