Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed that he was hindered by McLaren driver Lando Norris on his final qualifying lap, which cost him a shot at pole position at the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix.
Heading into the all-important qualifying session, the Dutch driver was in contention for the top places alongside the McLaren pair of Norris and Oscar Piastri. However, neither of the two McLaren drivers was able to challenge for pole position, which left everyone stunned.
Mercedes driver George Russell produced incredible laps in the Q3 session to take a shock pole position and set the lap record around the iconic Marina Bay Circuit. Max Verstappen was also in contention for pole but encountered a slow-moving Lando Norris heading into the final chicane and ultimately abandoned his attempt.
When asked about the incident in his post-qualifying interview, the four-time F1 world champion subtly threw shade at the Briton, saying:
“Yeah, that’s what happens when there’s a car in front of you just cruising two seconds in front. So that’s noted. Will be remembered as well.”
He further added, “Not Oscar. So yeah, that was a bit of a shame. Otherwise, I think it could have been close for the pole. It was very exciting here in qualifying. Of course, a little bit disappointed to not be first, but for us this weekend so far has been really good.”
Max Verstappen is yet to take pole position around the iconic street circuit, with his P2 on several occasions being his best qualifying result.
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### Max Verstappen Reflects on the RB21’s Performance in Singapore
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen expressed optimism about the RB21’s performance improvement over the last three race weekends, following his P2 qualifying result for the Singapore Grand Prix.
In his post-qualifying press conference, the 28-year-old shared insights into the car’s handling:
“The last three weekends have been really, really nice. I mean, up until that point, we were always throwing the setup left and right because it was just not working. Sometimes you had a weekend where it was okay, but now, the last three weekends, it’s been solid.”
He continued,
“We’ve just been fine-tuning, and that’s exactly what you want throughout the weekend. Of course, some layouts will be a bit better for us, some probably a bit more difficult, but the basis of the car is a lot more solid, and I think that is what you need.”
The Red Bull driver will be hoping to make a good start off the line and finally secure the elusive race win in Singapore — the only track on the current F1 calendar where he has not yet emerged victorious.
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**About the author**
Devang Chauhan is a Formula 1 and NASCAR journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3,500 articles and more than 5 million reads. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has 3.5 years of experience reporting on motorsports.
To stay updated on sports developments, Devang watches every single session and offers unique story angles from the reader’s perspective, leveraging his expertise in the field. He aims to provide accurate, ethical, and relevant information sourced from verified and trusted industry experts.
Currently, his favorite drivers are Charles Leclerc and Daniel Ricciardo, whom he admires for their composure and positive attitude. A proud Tifosi, Devang is a devoted Charles Leclerc fan.
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*Edited by Devang Chauhan*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-i-ll-remember-too-max-verstappen-fires-warning-shot-towards-lando-norris-mclaren-driver-hindered-final-quali-run