The starting grid for the first Formula 1 night race is set, but qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix was not easy for many drivers.
Let’s go through our winners and losers of qualifying for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
Winners and losers of qualifying for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix
Winner: Lando Norris
It’s another pole position for McLaren’s Lando Norris, and an impressive one at that.
After a Carlos Sainz crash (which we’ll cover below), the remaining drivers in Q3 had essentially just one flying lap to secure pole position, and Norris was the driver who did it with an impressive time of 1:29.525, good enough to put him a few tenths ahead of the opposition.
This is Norris’ sixth career pole position and sets him up for an impressive Singapore Grand Prix… if he can get a clean, fast start.
Loser: Carlos Sainz
Poor Carlos Sainz – as he came out onto the track chasing pole position, the Spanish racer lost control of his car and careened into the barriers. Blaming either cold tires or a severe backlash from his race team, Sainz triggered a red flag and ended his own qualifying session early.
And as if this accident alone was not enough, Sainz crossed a busy race track on his way back to the pits and was summoned to the race control after qualifying for this dangerous behavior. He received a fine of 25,000 euros, half of which is suspended for the rest of F1 2024.
Sainz’s Ferrari teammate also had a poor Q3. Charles Leclerc went wide on his flying lap, which eliminated his time – which would have been good enough for P5. He will start in ninth place, with Sainz right behind him.
While it is better to start a race near the bottom of the top 10 than further back, the tight confines of Singapore are likely to make for a frustrating race, especially on a weekend where Ferrari seemed to be setting a comfortably fast pace.
Winner: Mercedes
Although both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton expressed concerns about the grip of their Pirelli tyres in qualifying, it was a good day for Mercedes in what has been a mixed season so far.
Lewis Hamilton secured third place on the grid, while teammate Russell will start alongside him in fourth place. This gives both Silver Arrows drivers a comfortable starting position for the race, especially if Lando Norris has another difficult start.
Loser: Sergio Perez
After a brilliant performance in Baku, Sergio Perez has fallen back into the poor form that put his job at Red Bull in jeopardy earlier this year.
Perez simply didn’t have the pace to get into Q3, meaning the Mexican racer will start from a disappointing 13th place. Perez – and Red Bull – would have hoped for much more.
While Daniel Ricciardo’s name has been more closely linked to rumours of a mid-season sacking this weekend, there has also been plenty of debate about whether or not Perez should keep his seat at Red Bull. Perhaps the race will be a different story, but Perez will start from a back foot.
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Winner: Nico Hülkenberg
If Haas hadn’t already prematurely mourned the loss of Nico Hülkenberg ahead of the 2025 F1 season, the team might be doing so now. Despite being pushed a little further back in the final moments of Q3, the German driver still qualified for the Singapore Grand Prix in sixth place – ahead of both Ferraris.
Hülkenberg has scored 22 points this year, putting him well ahead of his teammate Kevin Magnussen on six points. Things have clicked for the German driver and it paid off once again in qualifying.
Loser: Daniel Ricciardo
The headlines ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix have been dominated by questions about the future of Daniel Ricciardo, with speculation rife that the Australian racer could be dropped by the VCARB after the conclusion of this race weekend – and that he could be replaced by Liam Lawson ahead of the United States Grand Prix.
It is not the first time this year that Ricciardo’s future has been uncertain, but after qualifying, Ricciardo sounded somewhat dejected about the “pessimistic” day that saw him crash out in the first qualifying session.
It will be a challenge for Ricciardo to put in an impressive race from 16th place – and it could be the first step towards a second retirement.
Winner: Franco Colapinto
No, Franco Colapinto didn’t manage to overtake his teammate Alex Albon, but the Argentine driver still deserves praise. In only his third race with Williams, he has consistently impressed, almost matching his far more experienced teammate – and in Singapore, Colapinto qualified just behind Albon.
That’s impressive because Colapinto is relatively inexperienced compared to Albon. It’s impressive because Albon’s car featured a number of upgrades specifically designed for Singapore. But perhaps even more impressive is because it’s far more than what Logan Sargeant did with the same machine.
It’s fair to say that the team’s expectations for Colapinto weren’t too high, but the Argentinean driver has already exceeded them. Carlos Sainz will have big shoes to fill in 2025.
Loser: Pirelli
One thing that several drivers had in common during qualifying in Singapore was the simple fact that their Pirelli tyres just didn’t feel right. George Russell got on the radio and said: “I’ve got no bloody grip, mate! This is totally different to FP3. Totally different. These tyres are so different.”
Another driver, Alex Albon, radioed during qualifying: “What are we doing with the tires?! Nothing, absolutely nothing.”
After the meeting, Russell reiterated to the media: “It’s actually quite annoying that so much is changing. (…) I don’t think even the people who make the tires understand anything about the tires.”
Even Daniel Ricciardo noted that all three sets of soft tyres he used on Saturday had problems, adding that Pirelli’s tyres were “definitely a bit more vulnerable in hotter climates”.
Drivers need to have confidence in their tyres and qualifying in Singapore showed that this is simply not the case.
Read more: Singapore GP: Lando Norris secures pole position while Sainz crash triggers Verstappen drama
