Lewis Hamilton looked like he had Singapore qualifying in the bag. The Mercedes driver was quickest in both Q1 and Q2, setting the pace when it mattered least. But when it came time for the final shootout for pole position, everything fell apart. A couple of costly mistakes, including a lock-up at turn three and a drift through a chicane, handed Max Verstappen Red Bull the top spot on the grid. Hamilton ended up third on the grid, behind Charles Leclerc in second, leaving him to rue what might have been.

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This was a golden opportunity for Hamilton at Ferrari. He'd been dominant for most of qualifying, and the Scuderia had high hopes heading into Saturday at Marina Bay. But unlike his masterclass performance here in 2018 as a Mercedes driver, Hamilton couldn't quite get comfortable with the red car when the pressure was on. The mistakes in those final minutes proved decisive, letting Verstappen slip through to take pole unchallenged. It's the kind of qualifying session that'll sting for a while.

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Verstappen's pole is particularly significant given the stats around Marina Bay. Pole position has led to the win in 11 out of 16 full-length Singapore Grand Prix races, meaning the Red Bull driver has put himself in prime position to score his first-ever victory at this circuit. He's been chasing a win here throughout his F1 career, and this pole could finally be his ticket to breaking that duck on Sunday.

More F1 news: Verstappen Chasing First Singapore Win as Qualifying Gets Underway at Marina Bay

Ferrari at least salvaged a decent result with Leclerc securing second on the grid and finishing ahead of Hamilton. The Monegasque gave it a proper go in the final shootout but couldn't match Verstappen's pace. Meanwhile, George Russell's recovery had some drama attached, as his sixth place on the road comes with a back-of-grid penalty courtesy of engine component changes needed after his power unit failure in Malaysia last weekend. Russell will line up at the back alongside Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, who suffered engine problems in Q1.

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