Charles Leclerc secured his 9th pole of the season at a rain-affected wet-dry Singapore GP qualifying.
Charles Leclerc is all set to start the race from pole position after an exciting qualifying session of the Singapore GP.
A rain-hit final practice left the field wet for the start of qualifying. However, conditions had improved significantly by the time qualifying began. Most drivers came out on intermediates for Q1 and Q2. However, slicks were the go-to Tyre for the final qualifying session.
Leclerc came out on top with a 1m 49.412s putting him on top of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez by just 0.022s. Further, Hamilton came on third falling short of Leclerc just by 0.054s.
These were the margins separating the top three.
Charles Leclerc has dominated this season when it comes to qualifying. The Monegasque has secured 9 poles now with a pole in Singapore.
Moreover, pole position in Singapore will be very handy when it comes to the main race. The twisty Marina Bay circuit gives some quick action.
So, a good start will matter a lot as Leclerc will try to keep Perez at bay as they dash down to turns 1 and 2.
But, looking at the pace of that Ferrari, it would not be that difficult for Leclerc to fend off Perez.
Verstappen’s run ends in an abrupt manner
Verstappen was trying his best to cope with the conditions. After a series of tippy-toe laps, the Dutchman was finally looking in good shape to snatch the provisional pole.
However, during his last two attempts, the Dutchman didn’t get to complete his laps.
In his second last, attempt, Verstappen abandoned the lap in the final sector probably to get ready for the next lap to register better timings.
However, much to his dismay, his last attempt to snatch the pole ended abruptly. Verstappen had to abandon the lap after the team called him on the radio to pit rather than completing his last flying lap.
The probable reason behind this is being called fuel. Every driver must have a minimum of 1-liter fuel in the tank after the qualifying ends.
It is believed that if Verstappen would have gone to finish his last flying lap, he would not have had sufficient fuel to pass the inspection. This would have led to a pit lane or back-of-the-grid start for the Dutchman.
Anyways, the top three are looking pretty interesting. And with more rain expected for the race tomorrow, we believe that it would be a close call.
Can Leclerc get another victory of the season, or can Perez finally get the redemption in Singapore? Also, can Hamilton finally end his win drought for the 2022 season? How much damage limitation can Verstappen manage after a rather disappointing qualification?
We will know this tomorrow in the main race.
For full qualifying results, click here.
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