Max Verstappen delivered a stunning final lap to claim pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint, beating George Russell and Charles Leclerc in a dramatic qualifying session under the lights at Marina Bay.

The Red Bull driver clocked a 1:31.156 in SQ3 to secure the top spot, finishing just 0.120 seconds ahead of Russell, while Leclerc took third for Ferrari. Verstappen’s performance was particularly impressive after Russell topped the only practice session earlier in the day.

Verstappen saved his best for the final shootout, producing a blistering lap on soft tyres to deny his rivals. The Dutchman admitted he had not expected to be fastest, but said the car came alive when the team fitted the soft compound.

Oscar Piastri secured fourth for McLaren, narrowly ahead of teammate Lando Norris in fifth. Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth for Ferrari, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli could manage only seventh in the upgraded Mercedes.

The session was far from straightforward. Sergio Perez brought out the red flag in SQ1 after crashing his Cadillac into the barriers, leaving debris on the track and forcing drivers to scramble for a competitive lap when running resumed. A timing system glitch then delayed the start of SQ2, while the FIA also acknowledged an error involving the activation of Overtake Mode that affected some drivers during the opening segment.

Despite the disruption, Verstappen kept his focus and delivered when it mattered most. However, his pole position remains under scrutiny after he was investigated for allegedly overtaking Hamilton under yellow flags during SQ1.

Russell will start alongside Verstappen on the front row for Saturday’s Sprint, although his power unit penalties for Sunday’s Grand Prix will not affect his Sprint starting position.

For Antonelli, seventh place represents a missed opportunity in the championship battle. The young Mercedes driver will need a strong Sprint performance to limit the damage, while Verstappen has given Red Bull a major boost at a circuit where he has never previously taken pole or won a race.

Verstappen has the advantage heading into Saturday’s Sprint, but with Russell, Leclerc and both McLarens close behind, the fight for victory at Marina Bay is far from over.