Singapore GP qualifying: Hairy Q1 as Hamilton tops, Gasly-triggered yellows shuffle the cut
Saturday night at Marina Bay delivered the usual heat and hassle, and then some. A rapidly evolving surface, marshals flashing yellows at an awkward moment, and a late-session gremlin for Pierre Gasly combined to make Q1 a white‑knuckle affair where nobody felt safe.
Lewis Hamilton set the tone for Ferrari with a 1:29.765, the seven-time champion leaning on confidence and traction to clear the first hurdle on top. George Russell tucked in just 0.163s back, while Lando Norris was a whisker behind the Mercedes in third. Max Verstappen and rookie Kimi Antonelli rounded out a top five covered by less than three tenths. It was that kind of scrap.
The early flashpoint belonged to Oscar Piastri. The championship leader’s first flyer was ruined by yellow flags — waved as a slower car moved aside, with marshals mistakenly keeping the caution up just long enough to force the McLaren to abort. That burned a set of softs and his second run never quite bit in the same way; Piastri still eased through, but only in sixth with a 1:30.440. No panic, but not ideal on a night where rhythm was everything.
As the grip came to the track, the midfield compressed alarmingly. Isack Hadjar briefly went quickest with seven minutes left — a tidy marker from the Racing Bulls rookie — and Nico Hülkenberg sat perched on the bubble, 16th, at 1:31.197. The margins were thin, the walls were close, and the final five minutes turned into a traffic management exercise.
Then came Gasly’s late problem near Anderson Bridge, tripping the yellows again just as the field launched their last attempts. The Alpine driver’s lap was gone and, with caution flags hovering over a notorious pinch point, several rivals had scruffy sectors or aborted efforts. It left a few furrowed brows on the pit wall and a cut line that felt more brutal than usual.
Out in Q1: Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Gasly. All five had pace on the table, but Singapore rarely forgives mismatched timing.
Q1 classification (top to bottom)
– 1. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari — 1:29.765
– 2. George Russell, Mercedes — 1:29.928
– 3. Lando Norris, McLaren — 1:29.932
– 4. Max Verstappen, Red Bull — 1:30.028
– 5. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes — 1:30.036
– 6. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls — 1:30.214
– 7. Oscar Piastri, McLaren — 1:30.313
– 8. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari — 1:30.370
– 9. Oliver Bearman, Haas — 1:30.420
– 10. Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull — 1:30.574
– 11. Carlos Sainz, Williams — 1:30.640
– 12. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls — 1:30.681
– 13. Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber — 1:30.715
– 14. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin — 1:30.745
– 15. Alex Albon, Williams — 1:30.775
– 16. Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber — 1:30.820
– 17. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin — 1:30.949
– 18. Franco Colapinto, Alpine — 1:30.982
– 19. Esteban Ocon, Haas — 1:30.989
– 20. Pierre Gasly, Alpine — 1:31.261
A couple of threads to watch from here. Hamilton’s Ferrari looks hooked up in the low-speed stuff, and he’s been ruthless at picking his moments around Marina Bay. Russell’s confidence under braking is doing a lot of heavy lifting for Mercedes, while Verstappen didn’t need to show much to bank a safe transit — expect Red Bull to wind it up as the grip keeps coming to them. Norris and Piastri both carried a hint of frustration in that opening segment; if McLaren find a clearer lane and the rear stays planted over the bumps, there’s lap time in hand.
At the other end, Bortoleto missed the cut by 0.045s, Stroll and Alonso were split by just two tenths, and Alpine’s double exit underlined how costly that late caution proved. The story of Singapore, as ever: get the out‑lap wrong, catch a yellow at the wrong marshal post, and you’re a passenger.
The lights and the pressure only intensify from here. If Q1 was any indication, the smallest mistake could swing the front row — and this place usually punishes the second one.
