Russell on pole but it’s Verstappen revival that McLaren fear now

Not even banging the wall heavily late in his first flying lap in Q3 could deter him from setting the quickest time, which he managed to eclipse by just seven thousandths of a second on his subsequent track outing.

It was a performance which will only help him at the negotiating table for protracted talks with team principal Toto Wolff which have clearly irritated the Briton at points, that cause aided even more if he can translate that pole into a win today.

Russell had looked set for a thrilling duel with Max Verstappen but the Dutchman was impeded late on by Lando Norris and had to make do with second. It led Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to say sarcastically: “Thank your mate for that.”

Such was Russell’s pace, Verstappen might still not have even got near enough to snatch a late pole. The Mercedes driver had endured a difficult day on Friday, ending practice prematurely when crashing into the barriers and admitted he had to learn from his teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli to transform his own track fortunes in time for qualifying. The 27-year-old Russell said: “Amazing to be on pole position. Yesterday was a very challenging day for many different reasons. Singapore has not been the kindest so… I’m not going to get carried away. It’s a long, sweaty race tomorrow.”

Antonelli had also threatened to challenge for pole for a time but had to make do with fourth on the grid alongside Oscar Piastri, who is looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristically weak weekend at the last race in Azerbaijan.

McLaren’s dominance has dissipated in recent weeks but the team had hoped for a resurgence on this street circuit where Norris comfortably won a year ago. Norris has his work cut out for a repeat of that after managing only fifth fastest in what appears to be the third quickest car on the grid at this particular race track as both McLaren drivers struggled with their front tyres in particular.

That said, in race trim, McLaren have been habitually the best, especially when it comes to tyre management at hot tracks in particular. Singapore is very much in that bracket having been declared F1’s first ever “heat-hazard” race by governing body the FIA, meaning drivers will be wearing cooling vests for the duration of the race.

McLaren principal Andrea Stella had declared the drivers’ championship battle still wide open after Verstappen’s second successive race win in Baku two weekends ago. While 69 points seems an insurmountable sum to make up in just seven races, McLaren are clearly feeling pressure from the four-time world champion.

For his part, the Dutchman, sporting new front and rear wings and an adjustment to his floor, was frustrated not to have push Russell for the top spot on the grid. “It could have been close for pole,” he said. “A little bit disappointed to not be first but so far this weekend is very good.”

Singapore was always going to be the acid test for Red Bull’s resurgence. It is a circuit where they have struggled recently and the only one on the calendar where Verstappen hasn’t won. Changing that record would pile the pressure further on McLaren, who were again left scratching their heads at their relative lack of pace.

Qualifying proved a struggle for the two Ferraris, which begin the race in sixth and seventh, with Lewis Hamilton marginally quicker than team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Photograph by Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images