Carlos Sainz, the Scuderia Ferrari driver, showcased his impeccable skills under the Singaporean night sky, seizing pole position at the Marina Bay circuit. This marks his second pole in a row and his fifth in Formula 1. Having been in fine form from the second free practice session onwards, he made sure Ferrari’s scarlet colours were prominently featured in the Singapore night.
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, his teammate, will start from third on the grid, narrowly missing out on the second position by a minuscule 0.007 seconds to George Russell. This also marks Scuderia Ferrari’s 246th pole in Formula 1.
From Q1 to Q3:
Throughout the qualifying phases, both Ferrari drivers showcased their prowess. Sainz and Leclerc effortlessly sailed through Q1 and Q2 on Soft tyres. Their SF-23 car provided ample confidence, allowing them to push the envelope. This remarkable performance meant that Scuderia Ferrari entered Q3 with an advantage: two sets of new Softs, while others lacked that luxury.
In his first Q3 run, Sainz clocked an impressive 1’31”170, with Leclerc trailing close behind. However, on their second run, Sainz demonstrated his sheer skill by becoming the only driver to dive below the 1’31” mark, registering a time of 1’30”984. Leclerc wasn’t far behind, refining his time to an impressive 1’31”063 to secure the third spot.
Looking Ahead to Race Day:
While Ferrari enjoys a favourable position on the starting grid, the Marina Bay circuit is known for its unpredictability. With 62 challenging laps nestled between the unforgiving barriers, the race day is bound to be eventful.
George Russell, starting from second, could potentially throw a curveball with a different tyre strategy. As the team deciphers the optimal game plan, one thing remains certain: Scuderia Ferrari will give it their all to maximize their points haul from the Singapore Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz #55
It feels great to get pole position here on the streets of Singapore! Yesterday we already saw we were competitive and I think we’ve done a good job building up to qualifying. Q3 was super tight but we managed to pull off good clean laps and grab that P1! The race won’t be easy due to the degradation but it is key to stay focused today and prepare well for tomorrow. The team has been working flat out and we deserve a good result. We’ll definitely go for it!
