Lando Norris, who is vying for the championship with McLaren, will have an opportunity to close Red Bull’s Max Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship race after the British driver took pole position at the Marina Bay Circuit on September 21 ahead of the Dutchman.
Arriving in Singapore, Norris was determined to close the gap with Verstappen, as he had only seven races remaining, including the 2024 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, and a 59-point disadvantage.
Securing the pole is crucial on the narrow 4.94km street circuit, where passing is known to be difficult; in the past, the pole has been used to win nine of the 14 races held here. Carlos Sainz won this race in 2023 as a result of finishing in pole position.
With a time of 1 minute, 29.525 seconds, Norris secured his fifth pole of the season and sixth overall. The British time was somewhat faster than Verstappen’s 1 minute 29.728 seconds. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and George Russell finished third and fourth.
With 313 points, the reigning champion Verstappen leads the drivers’ championship, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who is only 59 points behind, and Leclerc, who is in third place and 19 points behind Norris.
Ferrari is third in the constructors’ standings with 425 points, 51 points behind leaders McLaren and 31 points behind reigning winners Red Bull.
On September 22, everyone will be watching Norris to see if he can build on his 2023 second-place result—McLaren’s first podium here since Jenson Button in 2012—by turning pole into a vital victory that will bring him firmly within Verstappen’s grasp.
Given that McLaren has only won once in Singapore, in 2009 with Hamilton, it has also given them a fantastic chance to break their losing streak in the city-state.
To become the 15th Singapore Grand Prix’s seventh different winner, though, Norris will have to improve on his record of having only won one of the five races in which he has started on pole.
Singapore GP grid
1st row
1. Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren
2. Max Verstappen (Net) Red Bull
2nd row
3. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes
4. George Russell (Gbr) Mercedes
3rd row
5. Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren
6. Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Haas
4th row
7. Fernando Alonso (Esp) Aston Martin
8. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Visa Cash App RB
5th row
9. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari
10. Carlos Sainz (Esp) Ferrari
