SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING RECAP

The Singapore Grand Prix has finally arrived, and I can feel the track drama bubbling already. Swearing, community service, car drama, and driver seat speculation aside (a whole other post in itself), this race is destined to be spectacular. The Marina Bay Circuit is one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar, with a high difficulty in overtaking and a 100% statistical probability of a safety car being dispatched in the race. An effective car, a sharply strategic mind, quick reflexes, and a dash of luck will be needed to navigate this treacherous circuit effectively. 

Q1: 

I'm not going to lie; I have grown increasingly nervous as the cars swerved too much with each turn. I am unsurprised that Lance Stroll faired poorly because this man races as though he doesn't care… Then again, the stakes will never be high for a driver whose father owns the team. Daniel Ricciardo's struggle within the last minute cost him what could have been a P15 save, and I fear that this will only fuel the rumors that he's getting cut after this race some more. 

16. Daniel Ricciardo (VCARB)

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 

18. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 

19. Valterri Bottas (Kick Sauber)

20. Zhou Guanyu (Kick Sauber) 

Q2: 

Tires, tires, tires. Many drivers, including George Russell and Alex Albon, are complaining about the lack of grip from the tires, which makes lapping even harder than it needs to be. Reflexes have been kicking in at every turn, and each driver has been fighting the car to gain control of their car, and the tires have not been helpful. If I were a strategist on any of these teams, I'd pay extra attention to tire management.

11. Alex Albon (Williams) 

12. Franco Colapinto (Williams) 

13. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 

14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 

15. Estaban Ocon (Alpine) 

Q3: 

Oh. My. God. RED FLAG. I had a feeling that someone was going to crash, but I didn't expect it to be Carlos Sainz. According to Sainz's attempt to make sense of it on his radio, the cold rear tires seem the culprit. The qualifying session was halted for a while, and Verstappen, who would have had the provisional pole at the 8:04 time mark, had his times deleted because of Sainz's crash.   

Norris took pole, but given his habit of losing the position within the first laps of the race, I am acknowledging this with a skeptically raised eyebrow. I am surprised by Hamilton's and Russell's placement as both drivers made no secret of their struggles with the car and tires in the past two days.

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) 

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 

3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 

4. George Russell (Mercedes) 

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 

6. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) 

7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 

8. Yuki Tsunoda (VCARB) 

9. Charles Leclerc* (Ferrari) 

10. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 

*Time deleted 

I am reluctant to give a prediction because this is one of those races where the outcome will be absolutely up in the air. Tomorrow's race is anyone's win. I, along with all of you, will be cruising along, observing, and offering my takes along the way. May no one crash.

Come back tomorrow for coverage of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix on Vintage & Coupe.