The Singapore Grand Prix weekend opened with a chaotic first day, headlined by Max Verstappen keeping sprint pole position despite stewards ruling he overtook Lewis Hamilton under yellow flags. The Dutchman avoided punishment, and it has since emerged that the risky move was part of his plan to secure a front-row spot.
Verstappen's gamble pays off
Verstappen's fortune came after the stewards deemed the overtake illegal, yet no penalty was applied. The decision leaves the Red Bull driver on the front row for Saturday's sprint race, with the details of his calculated strategy now public.
Antonelli's difficult Friday
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli had a contrasting day, settling for seventh in sprint qualifying. The 20-year-old attributed his struggles to the upgraded package introduced only last weekend, which he said made the car "unpredicatble" in the early sessions.
With the sprint race and qualifying still to come over the next few hours, the focus now shifts to whether Verstappen can convert his pole position and whether Antonelli can recover ground despite his car's handling issues.
