Lando Norris described it as “pretty cool” to be battling for victory in the Singapore Grand Prix alongside Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Norris, who secured pole position, is 59 points behind Verstappen in the Formula 1 Championship and aims to close the gap.
Norris said it was “awesome” to compete against the two drivers, who have a combined total of over 150 wins.
“They have World Championships between them, but I’ve got nothing compared to them. I respect them a lot,” Norris said.
Hamilton holds an all-time record of 105 Grand Prix wins, while Verstappen is third with 61.
Norris is looking for his third career victory, after wins in Miami and the Netherlands this season. To challenge Verstappen for the title, Norris must close the gap by just over eight points per race.
Verstappen and Hamilton Still in the Fight
Norris took pole position by 0.203 seconds ahead of Verstappen in a dramatic qualifying session. Hamilton and George Russell finished third and fourth, respectively, for Mercedes.
After a session-stopping crash by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, the battle for pole came down to a single-lap shootout, with Norris edging out Verstappen.
Verstappen, who was pleased with his car’s performance, said: “The whole of qualifying went quite well. I’m happy with second.”
Hamilton, whose third place is his best qualifying since the British Grand Prix, said: “Qualifying has been a disaster all year. I’m happy the car finally came to me.”
Ferrari Struggles in Qualifying
Ferrari had a tough session. Carlos Sainz crashed early in qualifying, while Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, resulting in a ninth-place start. Leclerc cited an issue with the tyre blankets as the cause of his struggles.
Sainz was fined €25,000 for crossing the track and pit lane without permission after his crash.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate, qualified in fifth place, while Nico Hulkenberg impressed with sixth for Haas.
Qualifying Results and Race Preview
Norris secured pole, followed by Verstappen, Hamilton, Russell, and Piastri in the top five. Despite the setbacks for Ferrari, Norris remains confident ahead of the race.
