The Spanish pilot Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) secured this Saturday the pole for the Singapore Grand Prix of Formula 1, the fifth of his career and the second in a row, after the one in Monza (Italy), during the Dutch Max Verstappen (Red Bull), championship leader, will make it to eleventh place.
Sainz dominated free practice 2, free practice 3 and the most important thing so far, the classification. The Spaniard showed that he is in great shape, which will allow him to start first for the second time in a row and win the game again against his teammate, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc who came third, 79 thousandths behind the best time.
The British came second George Russell, with just 72 thousandths, in a very close battle for pole position, from which the Spaniard Fernando Alonso was far away by more than half a second (631 thousandths), although he was briefly first in the first attempt of Q2.
However, the two-time Formula 1 world champion (2005 and 2006) and double winner of the Singapore GP (2008 and 2010) did not manage to place in the top positions and starts seventh. behind the Haas of the Dane Kevin Magnussen.
WALKING ACCIDENT IN Q1 AND RED BULL CRASHES IN Q2
The first phase of qualifying (Q1) showed the dangers of the narrow Singapore circuit and a final corner that, when the going gets tough and you give it your all in one lap, increases the difficulty exponentially. And so the Canadian suffered Lance Stroll.
The teammate of Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin lost control of the car While trying to correct the trajectory, he crashed directly into the guard rails. Red flag, early end of the session and 34 minutes delay for Q2 due to track cleaning and necessary repairs.
A Q2 in which the big surprise of the weekend and the season awaited. Red Bull confirmed in qualifying the bad feelings it had had since free practice a team that clearly dominates the championship, having won all 14 races this season.
Verstappen Winners in the last ten – the best series in the history of Formula 1 –, finished the ranking in eleventh place only seven thousandths left until the breakthrough; while Perez who spun in the first corner of his fastest lap, took thirteenth place.
The two Red Bulls were nowhere to be seen from the top ten in the classification Russian Grand Prix 2018.
Aside from that, Verstappen could suffer a starting position penalty as two investigations by the race stewards are pending. The first in Q1 because he stood still in the pit lane when the green light was green, the second in Q2 because he got in the way of the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda when he was setting his fastest lap.
A starting position for Verstappen and Pérez that gives hope to their rivals, especially Ferrari with Carlos Sainz at the helm that for the first time this season the Austrian anthem will not be played on Sunday in honor of the Red Bull team.
Qualifying result for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
.1. Carlos Sainz ESP Ferrari.2. George Russell GBR Mercedes.3. Charles Leclerc MY Ferrari.4. Lando Norris GBR McLaren.5. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes.6. Kevin Magnussen YOUR Haas.7. Fernando Alonso ESP Aston Martin.8th. Esteban Ocon FROM Alpine.9. Nico Hülkenberg GER Haas10. Liam Lawson NZL Alpha Tauri11. Max Verstappen NER Red Bull12. Pierre Gasly FRA Alpine13. Sergio Perez MEX Red Bull14. Alex Albon THA Williams15. Yuki Tsunoda JAP Alpha Tauri16. Valtteri Bottas FIN Alfa Romeo17. Oscar Piastri FROM McLaren18. Logan Sargeant USA Williams19. Zhou Guanyu CHN Alfa Romeo20. Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin.
