Verstappen survives yellow-flag scare to claim Singapore sprint pole
Max Verstappen claimed sprint pole but faced a two-hour investigation over a yellow-flag overtake that stewards cleared.
Max Verstappen claimed pole for Saturday's sprint race at Marina Bay in Singapore, though his afternoon was overshadowed by a stewards' investigation. The four-time world champion posted 1min 31.156sec under lights, 0.120sec quicker than George Russell's Mercedes.
Officials examined an overtake he made during yellow flags. He waited nervously for two hours.
Verstappen had passed Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari in the first qualifying after Sergio Perez crashed into the barriers. Stewards ruled the overtake acceptable.
Verstappen had lifted off and slowed down properly. George Russell joined him on the front row, with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari third and Oscar Piastri's McLaren fourth.
The qualifying took place under Indonesian haze from nearby wildfires. This made it hard to see at the street circuit.
- 1min 31.156sec
- Verstappen's time
- 0.120sec slower
- Russell's gap
- Two hours
- Investigation duration
- Marina Bay, Singapore
- Venue
Why it mattersVerstappen's win last week in Malaysia shows Red Bull is making a comeback. Pole here could help him keep his momentum in the championship battle.
AustraliaOscar Piastri's fourth-place position puts the Australian McLaren driver well-placed for the sprint race and Sunday's grand prix.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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