Formula 1: Carlos Sainz on pole in Singapore with Red Bull out of the top 10 | Racing News – Times of India
[ad_1]
Former Red Bull driver and now Ferrari sensation, Carlos Sainz, commented on his thrilling performance, saying, “It’s an incredible feeling to secure pole position in Singapore. We’ve been working hard as a team, and it’s paying off.”
Red Bull’s championship leader, Max Verstappen, and his teammate Sergio Perez had a surprising and challenging day. Both drivers failed to make it into the top 10 shootout, a dramatic departure from their usual commanding performances.
Max Verstappen, who was hoping to extend his record with an 11th successive victory, faced a daunting task on the tight city circuit. He qualified in 11th place and found himself under investigation by stewards for alleged impeding, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his race.
A visibly frustrated Verstappen remarked, “That was … shocking, absolutely shocking experience,” expressing his disappointment at the unexpected turn of events.
Sergio Perez, celebrating his 250th Formula One start, also faced an uncharacteristic setback as he qualified in 13th place, far from Red Bull’s usual standards.
With Red Bull out of contention, other teams seized the opportunity to shine. Carlos Sainz delivered an outstanding lap time of one minute 30.984 seconds to secure pole position for Ferrari. Teammate Charles Leclerc narrowly missed a front-row sweep for the Italian team, finishing just 0.007 seconds behind.
McLaren’s young talent, Lando Norris, claimed the fourth position on the grid. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes secured fifth place, with Kevin Magnussen of Haas in sixth. Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin will start in seventh place, followed by Alpine’s Esteban Ocon in eighth, Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg in ninth, and AlphaTauri’s Liam Lawson rounding out the top 10.
Carlos Sainz reflected on Ferrari’s resurgence, stating, “We’ve been making progress, and it’s great to see it translating into results.”
The qualifying session witnessed a dramatic incident when Lance Stroll of Aston Martin crashed heavily at the final corner, resulting in the deployment of the red flags and a delay in the start of the second phase of qualifying. Stroll emerged from the wrecked car unharmed but was taken to the medical center for precautionary checks.
The Singapore Grand Prix, renowned for its challenging overtaking opportunities, promises an exciting race day as the competitors navigate the city streets in pursuit of victory.
(With inputs from Reuters)
