Lewis Hamilton will start the Singapore Grand Prix from the second row of the grid after Max Verstappen seized pole by a hair’s breadth.
Q3 struggles keep Hamilton on the doorstep
Hamilton, who described the session as “another difficult Q3,” admitted that a sudden drop in rear grip cost him the front‑row spot.
His SF‑26 had felt perfectly tuned early in qualifying, but as the track evolved the car fell outside its ideal operating window.
“We made some changes going into qualifying. The car was feeling so much better, and I really felt like she had more in her,” Hamilton told broadcaster Jolyon Palmer.
He further explained that the final lap saw “snapping” at the rear, pushing the lap time over two tenths slower than earlier in the session.
Ferrari’s two‑versus‑one advantage
Red Bull’s teammate, Isack Hadjar, was unable to set a Q3 lap due to mechanical issues, leaving Scuderia Ferrari with a two‑for‑one front‑row advantage.
Hamilton sees this as a tactical opening to pressure Max Verstappen, stating that the team could “hold on to Max and put them under pressure.”
The dual presence allows Ferrari to coordinate strategy and defend against the Red Bull run.
Red Bull’s aerodynamic leap
Despite the setup hiccup, Hamilton acknowledged “Red Bull have done a fantastic job.” He noted the team’s recent upgrades, referring to the Baku upgrade that pushed them to the front.
Hamilton added that Red Bull’s engineering department has made massive aerodynamic strides in recent weeks, keeping the Dutch duo at a speed advantage.
Strategic focus for the race
As the race approaches, Ferrari plans to use its front‑row pair to chase the pole position, hoping the collaboration will keep pace with Red Bull’s pace.
Hamilton concluded that “we could potentially get ahead of them” with coordinated effort, recognising the challenge posed by Verstappen’s speed.
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