Max Verstappen claims pole for Red Bull at F1 Singapore Grand Prix

SINGAPORE – Max Verstappen will start the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix from pole position for the first time after the Red Bull driver topped the timesheets in qualifying on Oct 10.

Under the floodlights at the 4.927km Marina Bay Street Circuit, Verstappen was quickest over one lap in 1:31.373, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton second and third fastest.

The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the few races that Verstappen has never won, despite coming close twice after finishing second in 2024 and 2025. 

While the four-time world champion won the sprint race here earlier in the evening, he made it clear in post-race comments that he did not “see this as a win in terms of actually winning a grand prix”.

Verstappen, who has raced here since the 2015 edition when he was with Toro Rosso, arrived in Singapore hoping for a good weekend after registering his first triumph of the 2026 season at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

With pole position secured, Verstappen is well placed to mark his 250th grand prix start in style this weekend.

The night race in Singapore has been won from pole position 11 times out of 16 editions and in three consecutive editions since 2023.

The 2025 edition of the Singapore Grand Prix was won by Russell, who clinched pole in qualifying then, with Verstappen finishing in second and McLaren’s Lando Norris rounding up the podium.

If Verstappen does claim victory, he will become the seventh different winner in Singapore in as many editions since 2018. The 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli currently leads the drivers’ championship with 325 points and holds a 89 point lead over teammate Russell with Hamilton a further 15 points behind in third.

Verstappen is fifth with 196 points.

The 17th edition of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix race starts at 8pm on Oct 11.