Verstappen on sprint pole after another settings issue
Max Verstappen beat George Russell by 0.12 seconds to claim sprint pole at the Singapore Grand Prix amid FIA software glitches.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Max Verstappen secured sprint pole in Singapore, edging George Russell by 0.12 seconds.
- A software glitch and FIA human error caused overtake modes to toggle unexpectedly after a red flag.
- Championship leader Kimi Antonelli managed only seventh place using Mercedes' latest upgrade package.
- Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, trailing the pole-sitter by 0.243 seconds.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the sprint race at the Singapore Grand Prix on October 9, 2026, edging out Mercedes driver George Russell by 0.12 seconds in a closely contested qualifying session.
Fresh off his and Red Bull's first victory of the season in Malaysia the previous weekend, Verstappen set the pace ahead of Russell, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished third, 0.243 seconds off the pace. McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took fourth and fifth places respectively, ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in sixth.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
However, the session was disrupted by engine settings issues provided by governing body the FIA, occurring just five days after wet-weather formation laps in Malaysia reduced cars to crawling speeds due to a software bug. This latest software glitch coincided with a timing system error that delayed the start of the second qualifying period (SQ1).
The problem arose following a red flag caused by Sergio Perez's crash in a Cadillac, which resulted in mismatched pre- and post-red-flag settings that reduced engine power. Specifically, the overtake mode—which allows an extra 0.5MJ of energy harvesting—was switched on and off within a 28-second window due to a human error in race control failing to reactivate it automatically after the restart.
"There was another software issue and we were on the bad end of it, and for whatever reason, the FIA, like in Malaysia, again didn't decide to do sporting equity..."
Max Verstappen
The recurring software and power-unit setting errors across back-to-back race weekends highlight the immense complexity of modern F1 hybrid systems. Heavy reliance on precise electronic energy management means even minor timing glitches or control-room oversights can create immediate sporting disparities among teams fighting for grid positions.
Meanwhile, championship leader Kimi Antonelli—who holds an 84-point lead over teammate Russell—struggled with the Mercedes upgrade package that previously underperformed in Malaysia, finishing only seventh and 0.573 seconds behind Russell. Mercedes split car specifications in Singapore to diagnose the upgrade issues first introduced at the Canadian Grand Prix in May.
Source: BBC Sport
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