Leclerc to start the 2022 Singapore F1 Race on pole

Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore - Leclerc clinches a pole position start in the Singapore Grand Prix Qualifying session, with Sergio Perez staring 2nd and Lewis Hamilton lining up 3rd on the grid. This will be the 2nd time that the Monegasque driver will start on pole here in Singapore, after his other pole position start back in the 2019 Formula 1 season.

Despite the torrential rain that doused the Marina Bay Street Circuit just before the 3rd practice, the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix 2022 saw drivers post impressive lap times despite the sport's two year absence in Singapore. For several drivers, this would also be their first stint on our street circuit.

As the weather cleared, the teams were able to come off the wet tyres and fit intermediates to the race cars. Q1 of the qualifying session saw Bottas, Ricciardo, Ocon, Albon and Latifi knocked out of the top 15 places. Q2 saw George Russell, Lance Stroll, Mick Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Zhou Guanyu eliminated from the top 10 on the grid.

As Q3 started, the track dried up considerably, enabling the drivers to switch out their intermediate tyres and run softer slicks. Alas, Leclerc emerged as the pole sitter, making it his 9th Pole position of the 2022 Formula 1 season.

Sergio Perez, who comes 2nd in Sunday’s race lineup, lost out to Charles by just 0.022 seconds (just over two-hundredths of a second). Lewis Hamilton, who closes out the top 3 places, was just a shade slower than Charles with a Q3 lap time of 1:49.466, just 0.054 behind.

Meanwhile, championship contender Max Verstappen clocked the fastest time in Q1, lost out in Q3 and secured 8th in Sunday’s starting grid.

The Dutchman, who struggled on the slicks in the damp conditions, looked set to post a lap time quick enough to net him a spot among the top 3. But as the session ended, he had to abandon his final flying lap as his RB18 race car was running on fumes. Had he run out of fuel, he would’ve been pushed to the back of the grid. Nonetheless, Max was frustrated at the end result after Q3.

However, we’ve seen him start outside of the top 10 and make a comeback to finish first. For the full scoop tune in to our Instagram page to keep up with the action.

PHOTOS Jay Tee