Verstappen beats Russell to Singapore sprint pole as FIA software glitch sparks outcry

Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix sprint qualifying, edging Mercedes driver George Russell in a session overshadowed by another technical controversy involving Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, Sport360NG reports. 

The Red Bull driver clocked 1:31.156 to finish 0.120 seconds ahead of Russell, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed third place as Red Bull continued to show signs of improvement following its victory in Malaysia the previous weekend.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris completed the top five in fourth and fifth respectively, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton settling for sixth after struggling with his car during the final qualifying session.

Mercedes championship leader Kimi Antonelli could manage only seventh, finishing 0.693 seconds behind Verstappen as questions continued to emerge over the team’s latest car upgrade.

FIA Error Disrupts Sprint Qualifying

The session was marred by a software-related problem involving overtake mode, which allows drivers to harvest an additional 0.5 megajoules of energy. The issue affected competitors differently depending on when they completed their qualifying laps.

Formula One F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Malaysia – October 4, 2026 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix

The disruption followed a red flag triggered by a crash involving Sergio Perez’s Cadillac. A separate problem with the F1 timing system also delayed the start of the second qualifying segment.

According to the FIA, a human error in race control meant overtake mode was unavailable following the red-flag period. Officials subsequently reactivated the system for approximately 27 seconds before switching it off again.

The governing body acknowledged that the mistake affected the performance of some cars, depending on their position on the circuit and the timing of their laps. However, the second and third stages of sprint qualifying proceeded without further problems.

Williams driver Carlos Sainz was among those frustrated by the incident after failing to progress beyond the opening session. He argued that some competitors benefited from greater engine power than others.

Sainz also questioned the FIA’s handling of the situation, suggesting that the governing body had failed to ensure equal conditions for all drivers.

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll were also eliminated in the first qualifying segment after being affected by the disruption.

The latest incident came just five days after a software bug during the wet formation laps in Malaysia left several cars moving at unusually low speeds, raising further concerns about the reliability of the systems used in Formula 1.

Verstappen Surprised by Red Bull’s Pace

Despite the controversy, Verstappen delivered an impressive performance to claim sprint pole, strengthening hopes that Red Bull’s recent progress could continue in Singapore.

The four-time world champion admitted that he had not expected to finish at the front, citing persistent difficulties with the car’s ride and overall stability.

However, the switch to soft tyres during the final qualifying session appeared to improve the car’s behaviour, allowing him to put together a competitive lap.

Verstappen said the softer compound made the car more predictable in sections where he had previously struggled with confidence.

Although pleased with the result, the Dutchman acknowledged that Saturday’s main qualifying session would remain a key priority. He also identified the start as an important factor in determining his chances during the sprint.

His pole position, however, could face scrutiny after he was placed under investigation for allegedly overtaking under yellow flags displayed before the first qualifying session was stopped following Perez’s crash.

Russell’s second-place finish offered Mercedes a positive result, but the contrasting performances of the two cars at the team suggested that its recent upgrade package still requires further assessment.

Mercedes Upgrade Raises More Questions

Mercedes introduced a significant upgrade in Malaysia, but the changes have yet to deliver the expected improvement in performance.

Team principal Toto Wolff previously admitted that the package appeared to have taken the team backwards at Sepang, prompting Mercedes to split its specifications between Russell and Antonelli in Singapore to gather more data.

Russell continued with the previous version of the car, while Antonelli used the upgraded package. The Briton finished just 0.120 seconds behind Verstappen, whereas the championship leader ended the session 0.573 seconds behind his team-mate.

Russell said the team had not identified clear evidence that the upgrade was ineffective, but conceded that the timing results had not yet demonstrated its potential.

Antonelli, who entered the weekend leading the championship by 84 points, described the updated car as difficult to drive and unpredictable.

The Italian said he had struggled from the opening practice session and was finding it difficult to complete a clean lap. He also admitted that recovering the time needed to challenge for pole would be a considerable task.

Wolff offered a cautious assessment, explaining that the upgraded car might still possess advantages despite being more challenging to drive. He added that Mercedes needed to understand how to set up the package properly before drawing firm conclusions about its performance.

Ferrari Struggle as Leclerc and Hamilton Miss Out

Ferrari also had mixed fortunes, with Leclerc securing third place but finishing 0.243 seconds off Verstappen’s leading time.

The Monegasque driver expressed concern that Ferrari had lost some of its outright pace over the previous three or four races. Nevertheless, he remained optimistic that the team could make improvements ahead of the main qualifying session.

Hamilton, meanwhile, finished sixth after choosing a different run plan from several of his rivals during the final segment.

The seven-time world champion acknowledged that his strategy had not worked as intended, while excessive oversteer made it difficult to extract the maximum performance from the car.

He suggested that the condition of the rear tyres may have contributed to the instability, although he was uncertain whether they had failed to reach the appropriate temperature or had overheated.

McLaren secured fourth and fifth through Piastri and Norris, keeping both drivers within striking distance of the leading positions ahead of the sprint.

Singapore Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying: Top 10

1. Max Verstappen — Red Bull — 1:31.156

2. George Russell — Mercedes — +0.120s

3. Charles Leclerc — Ferrari — +0.243s

4. Oscar Piastri — McLaren — +0.298s

5. Lando Norris — McLaren — +0.431s

6. Lewis Hamilton — Ferrari — +0.546s

7. Kimi Antonelli — Mercedes — +0.693s

8. Liam Lawson — Racing Bulls — +1.185s

9. Isack Hadjar — Red Bull — Lap time deleted

10. Pierre Gasly — Alpine — Lap time deleted

Verstappen’s performance gives Red Bull another encouraging result, but the FIA’s latest technical error and Mercedes’ uncertain upgrade performance have added further intrigue to the Singapore weekend. The sprint and subsequent qualifying session will provide another opportunity for the leading teams to assess their pace and challenge for valuable positions.