Leclerc snatches pole in thriller session: 2022 Singapore GP qualifying

Charles Leclerc took a sensational pole in a thrilling session under the lights on a wet track in Singapore, just beating Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen ended up a disgruntled eighth, the furious Dutchman told to end his lap early when to looked like he could be on for pole, due to not having enough fuel for a sample at the end of the session.

Drivers agonised throughout the session as to when to switch for intermediates to dry tyres, and one driver who lost out was George Russell, eliminated in Q2.

Here’s how the 2022 Singapore GP qualifying session played out.

Q1

It was the Mercedes pair which led out the field, looking to get a feel for the wet-in-places Marina Bay circuit on the intermediate tyres.

“Still a bit too damp so would say this is OK,” said Lando Norris to McLaren on his out-lap, using intermediates.

Russell was first to a fast time on the board with a 1min 57.099sec, before Hamilton then went a tenth quicker.

The former managed to bring his time down to 1min 55.842sec, but this was soon seen off by Charles Leclerc to the tune of 0.8sec.

Lance Stroll looked impressive in fourth, albeit 1.5sec away from Leclerc, who then ended up in the run-off on his next lap.

Sainz joined his Ferrari team-mate at the top with a time 0.4sec slower, but they were both then shuffled down by Hamilton on a 1min 54.689sec.

He was soon bested by Verstappen who was 0.294sec quicker, as Stroll popped into fifth with a 1min 56.997sec.

Leclerc then beat Verstappen’s time by 0.173sec, as drivers were faced with the decision as to whether to switch to slicks on stick to intermediates.

Ricciardo decided to keep to inters, but was struggling to set a competitive time. His time lifted him to 12th, but just 0.8sec clear of the cut-off time with 3min still to go.

Magnussen sent a signal to the field that the track was seriously drying – and therefore improving – by leaping from 20th to sixth.

Hamilton hit the top with a 1min 53.161sec, whilst down at the other end of the field Albon missed out on getting into Q2 by 0.045sec.

Vettel managed to get into the next round, 11th fastest, but Ricciardo was eliminated, his time 0.163sec off what he needed to progress.

Mick Schumacher just squeaked into Q2, meaning Valtteri Bottas was relegated to a surprising 16th. Behind him was Ricciardo, Ocon, Albon and Latifi.

Q2

Lando Norris set an early lap of 1min 53.995sec, but Leclerc soon beat this by 1.6sec. The time looked impressive, with Hamilton barely able to get any closer than the McLaren.

Verstappen got to within 0.380sec, on a track which still seemed to demand inters rather than slicks.

Sainz first flying lap was well off his team-mate, but second time round he managed to set a respectable time to put him in fourth, 1.1sec away.

George Russell locked up at Turn 8 and just kept his Mercedes out of the wall, one of the areas which still had a lot of standing water.

As the two Mercedes both put on fresh inters, Leclerc radioed in and asked if he could try slicks. The Scuderia decided to keep him on the tyres he already had, saying he could have dry tyres at the end.

The Astons decided there was no time like the present though, both putting on slicks, with Lance Stroll immediately running off track as he struggled for grip.

Russell was stranded down in 14th, but a faster lap brought him up to seventh for the time being.

Hamilton set the fastest middle sector, but was ultimately was only good enough for second.

The track was still getting faster – Yuki Tsunoda jumped to sixth, with Magnussen into eighth. Fernando Alonso then went fifth, 0.784sec off Leclerc.

The Spaniard’s time forced a shock result: Russell was out, by 0.006sec. Behind was Stroll, his slick tyre gamble not paying off, Mick Schumacher 13th, Vettel in 14th – who went off on his final run: “**** it was too early for drys” – and Zhou Guanyu.

Q3

About to head out on intermediates, Leclerc told his team he wanted to make a last-minute change to slicks, with his team-mate Sainz already on the same compound.

Eight of the ten drivers made the same decision, only Tsunoda and Magnussen deciding to stick with inters.

Though Verstappen 1min 56.940sec, Tsunoda immediately set a 1min 55.1sec to displace him at the top.

Leclerc slotted into second, 0.5sec off the Japanese driver, but Hamilton then hit first with a 1min 53.082sec.

Norris sonn after set the second-fastest lap, 0.8sec off, as the times tumbled – Alonso, Leclerc and Hamilton all traded quickest laps.

The latter was No1 with a 1min 51.019sec, was Verstappen squirmed and opposite-locked his way to second, 0.376sec away from the Brit.

On the second runs, Alonso went first, before being blown away by Leclerc with a 1min 49.412sec.

Again Verstappen was struggling for grip, going fastest in the first sector before aborting his lap after several lurid moments.

Hamilton lapped to within 0.1sec of Leclerc, then Perez got even closer, but Verstappen was now flying.

However, yet again he had to abandon, his team calling him in. Red Bull told him they would explain why they cancelled his lap afterwards, to a volley of swear words form tis driver over the radio.

It later emerged the car did not have enough fuel in it for the requisite sample at the end of the session – he’ll start eighth tomorrow.

Lecelrc therefore claimed pole in an exciting session, with an intriguing grid set up for the race.

2022 Singapore Grand Prix qualifying results