In Sunday’s race, on the Marina Bay city circuit, the Spaniard from Ferrari will start ahead of the British George Russell (Mercedes) and the other Ferrari, Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc.

CARLOS SAINZ TAKES BACK-TO-BACK POLAND!@Carlostainz55 lights up the streets of Marina Bay to take his second pole in a row @ScuderiaFerrari!#SingaporeGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/FxNCb2uTSc

– Formula 1 (@F1) September 16, 2023

Far behind are the isolated World Cup leader, the Dutchman Max Verstappen, only eleventh and threatened with multiple penalties for disturbing drivers on the track and in the pit lane, and the Mexican Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez, thirteenth.

Verstappen and Pérez did not play in the third and final part of the rankings (Q3), after premature elimination this Saturday in the second (Q2).

The world champion only set the eleventh fastest time, ahead of Pérez, thirteenth.

It is the first time since the 2018 Russian Grand Prix that no Red Bull driver makes it to the final qualifying session.

The first part of qualifying (Q1) was marked by Lance Stroll’s accident on track. On his final hot lap of Q1, to guarantee a spot in the Top 15, which guarantees qualification for Q2, the Canadian crashed violently into the wall at full speed, destroying much of the left front of his Aston Martin tore off.

A huge impact brought an early end to Lance Stroll’s qualifying session#SingaporeGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/xnpOGSsgsZ

– Formula 1 (@F1) September 16, 2023

The driver emerged from the car unharmed, but was taken to the medical center for examination as a precaution.

If declared fit by doctors for Sunday’s Grand Prix, Stroll will start from the twentieth and last position on the starting grid.

Verstappen receives grid penalty after ‘shocking’ qualifying

The world leader criticized Red Bull’s performance last Saturday, saying it was “a shocking experience” not to reach the top 10 in qualifying after penalties.

Verstappen was eliminated in Q2 after finishing 11th, but still faces penalties that could see him relegated to the back of the grid.

Verstappen will have to answer to race stewards for his actions after he was accused of holding up other cars in the pit lane and on the track as he tried to create the conditions for a fast lap in qualifying.

“I knew it would be difficult to take pole. But I didn’t expect this,” Verstappen said after he and teammate Sergio Perez were eliminated in Q2.

“We were struggling all weekend. Actually the third free session wasn’t that bad, but then we tried a few more things on the car for qualifying and it didn’t work and the car became undriveable again,” he added.

Verstappen is going for his third world title this year and has a huge 145-point lead over Perez at the top of the championship.

But the Dutchman has never triumphed under the lights of Singapore and faces a near-impossible task to end his fast on the city circuit, on a weekend when the Red Bulls were far behind.

Verstappen has won the last ten races in a row and Red Bull has won all fourteen races so far this season, but Singapore’s Marina Bay city circuit is proving to be the biggest challenge yet in this quest for an unprecedented performance. win all 22 races.

Verstappen won 12 of the 14 races at this World Championship and his colleague Perez was the only other driver to see the checkered flag as the winner, winning two Grands Prix.

GP Singapore

—Result of the ranking session:
Question 3:
1. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 1:30.984
2. George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:31.056
3. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:31.063
4. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:31.270
5. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:31.485
6. Kevin Magnussen (DIN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:31.575
7. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:31.615
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:31.673
9. Nico Hülkenberg (ALE/Haas-Ferrari) 1:31.808
10. Liam Lawson (NZL/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:32.268

Eliminated in Q2:
11. Max Verstappen (HOL/Red Bull)
12. Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault)
13. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull)
14. Alexander Albon (TAI/Williams-Mercedes)
15. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

Eliminated in Q1:
16. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)
17. Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)
18. Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes)
19. Guanyu Zhou (CHN/Alfa Romeo Ferrari)
20. Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

— Singapore GP starting grid:
– First row:
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari)
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)

– Second row:
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

– Third row:
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)
Kevin Magnussen (DIN/Haas-Ferrari)

– Fourth row:
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes)
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

– Fifth row:
Nico Hülkenberg (ALE/Haas-Ferrari)
Liam Lawson (NZL/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

– Sixth row:
Max Verstappen (HOL/Red Bull)
Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

– Seventh row:
Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull)
Alexander Albon (TAI/Williams-Mercedes)

– Eighth row:
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)

– Ninth row:
Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)
Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes)

– Tenth row:
Guanyu Zhou (CHN/Alfa Romeo Ferrari)
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes)