Key events
First corner: Russell has speed off the front and the two McLarens then surge into third and fourth, with Norris battling past Piastri, making up a very quick two places. Brilliant from the Briton. Antonelli has lost a few places.
Lights Out
… and away we go!
Let’s get this thing under way, then. Formula One’s original night race. The cars are out on the track and we’ll, of course, have a formation lap before lights out time.
Nine minutes to clear the track. It’s always a hell of a task.
We’ve had the national anthem and the drivers are now heading back into their garages to get ready for the race. With the track wet in places and dry and others, it sounds like it’ll be really challenging in Singapore tonight.
Where’s your money? Verstappen v Russell at the front? Or will one of the McLarens come good to further their title chances? Let’s remember Piastri has a 25-point lead over Norris in the world championship standings with Verstappen a further 44 points back.
Alex Albon has been chatting to Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle about starting in the pit lane, now that’s been confirmed by race officials. Teammate Pierre Gasly will be there with him.
Albon says sectors 2 and 3 are “very wet” but that he’s hoping for some carnage… he’s got a glint in his eye, despite the sanction imposed on the two Williams cars.
Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are less chatty… Brundle then accosts singer Lewis Capaldi for a chat, but mistook his brother for Capaldi himself. LOL.
Less than half an hour until lights out now in Singapore and it looks like, despite earlier rain, we’ll get a fairly dry race. Dry but hot. The temperature down at track level is said to be 33.3C, so those cooling vests will no doubt be worn by many drivers, with the race said to be a ‘heat hazard’. It’s going to be physically demanding for drivers either way. Can Russell suffer through the stifling humidity and sweat it out to victory?
The live sport offering on the website right now is plentiful to say the least. And there’s more football to come, inevitably. Do tuck in.
Another big talking point post-qualifying was Max Verstappen’s annoyance at Lando Norris, complaining that he had been obstructed by the McLaren driver.
“They always complain, they complain about everything, that’s Red Bull,” said Norris. “I didn’t even know, I was like three seconds ahead or something.”
Lewis Hamilton – as he’s often found during a frustrating first season with Ferrari – lacked the pace he was expecting in qualifying yesterday.
The seven-time world champion was slightly bemused afterwards, telling TV cameras: “Q1, the car and tyres were feeling good but Q2 run one was fairly decent but then we are the last in the queue often and losing a lot of temperature in the tyres and every time we do that we fall further and further back. It happens every single weekend.
“The guys on pole went out quicker with less waiting in the pit lane. It’s an area we can improve on.
“Red Bull have had an upgrade, Mercedes have found something I think, and we haven’t and we are fighting with what we have. Everyone’s trying so hard but it’s disappointing to be where we are when there was potential to be higher.”
Qualifying standings
Russell (Mercedes)
Verstappen (Red Bull)
Piastri (McLaren)
Antonelli (Mercedes)
Norris (McLaren)
Hamilton (Ferrari)
Leclerc (Ferrari)
Hadjar (RB)
Bearman (Haas)
Alonso (Aston Martin)
Hulkenberg (Sauber)
Lawson (RB)
Tsunoda (Red Bull)
Bortoleto (Sauber)
Stroll (Aston Martin)
Colapinto (Sauber)
Ocon (Haas)
Gasly (Alpine)
Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz (both Williams) look set to start the race from the pit lane after being disqualified from qualifying, although officials are yet to confirm this.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to another race day in the Formula One calendar.
George Russell stole the show in Singapore GP qualifying yesterday with a stunning run in his Mercedes to claim pole, pipping Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who qualified in second. The world championship leader Oscar Piastri was third, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was fourth and Lando Norris back in fifth.
Russell actually crashed in practice on Friday, but recovered in fine style. Afterwards he said: “I had a difficult day yesterday for many reasons but it’s good to come back and get a good result today. I knew there was potential in the car.”
So, can he hang on round the Marina Bay circuit this afternoon, or will the chasing championship contenders haul him in? It’s all set up rather nicely, with the race due to begin at 1pm (BST), which translates to 8pm local time in Singapore – and who doesn’t love a night race? Stick with us for updates and feel free to drop me an email. Let’s gooooo.
