Ferrari came within just 0.054 seconds of Singapore Grand Prix pole position, but detailed telemetry highlights two technical factors that prevented Charles Leclerc from beating Max Verstappen: hybrid energy deployment on the straights and the condition of the SF-26’s tyres at the end of the third sector. Ferrari extracted almost everything available from the car, yet could not convert a realistic opportunity into pole position.
The comparison between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen also reinforces a pattern already visible earlier in the Singapore weekend. Ferrari remains extremely competitive through the corners, but its gains there are partially cancelled by its straight-line limitations. Those contrasting strengths and weaknesses can be examined in greater detail through the F1 Qualifying Telemetry & Corner Comparison.
Ferrari SF-26 shows its strength through Singapore’s corners
The analysis begins with the comparison between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The longitudinal and lateral acceleration data confirms what emerged on Friday: Red Bull is extremely strong during the acceleration phase, with significantly better traction than Ferrari. The difference does not come simply from suspension choices, as a large part of it is linked to the Austrian car’s ability to deliver power.
Ferrari, by contrast, continues to make a major difference under braking, although not with quite the same intensity seen during the earlier qualifying session. Charles Leclerc himself pointed out over the radio that there were some small braking issues. At the same time, the lateral-force data clearly demonstrates how strong the SF-26 remains through the corners.
The G-forces generated by the Ferrari reach noticeably higher levels through both left- and right-hand corners. The values are not extreme, sitting between approximately 3G and 4G because Marina Bay does not feature ultra-high-speed sustained corners, but Ferrari still shows a clear advantage over Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in these areas.
One particularly striking example comes through Turns 7, 8 and 9, where Charles Leclerc gains around two and a half tenths despite this being a low-speed section of the circuit. Sector two is also where Charles Leclerc builds his biggest advantage over the RB22. With the exception of Turn 16, the Ferrari carries considerably more mid-corner speed almost everywhere.
That cornering strength has been one of the defining characteristics of the SF-26 throughout the Singapore weekend, even though Ferrari’s straight-line deficit at Marina Bay has continued to limit the overall lap time.
Ferrari loses ground through SF-26 straight-line performance
The other major part of the picture concerns the power unit, an area where Ferrari loses performance. The figures closely mirror the trends seen on Friday: the SF-26 gives away 9 km/h approaching Turn 10 and another 9 km/h approaching Turn 14.
On the straight towards Turn 16, however, the gap falls to just 1 km/h, with a similarly small difference on the run towards Turn 7. That variation comes from targeted work on hybrid energy management, with Ferrari able to optimise the deployment curve in specific sections of the lap.
Charles Leclerc ultimately loses pole position in the final sector, where he gives away around a tenth and a half to Max Verstappen. The full sector comparison paints a clear picture: sector one is effectively equal, Ferrari gains 0.13 seconds in sector two, before losing 0.16 seconds in sector three.
Tyre condition becomes decisive in Charles Leclerc’s final sector
The decisive difference appears particularly clearly at the final corner, where Max Verstappen gains 0.070 seconds over Charles Leclerc by braking later. Despite delaying the braking phase, the Dutchman is still able to position the car cleanly towards the apex before returning to the throttle earlier.
Tyre condition also has to be taken into account. Max Verstappen reaches this section with his tyres still operating perfectly within their target temperature window. Ferrari, by comparison, suffers through the final two corners because Charles Leclerc’s tyres are slightly more worn.
That condition compromises grip and removes a crucial fraction of performance at exactly the point where every thousandth matters. With only 0.054 seconds separating the two drivers at the line, the loss becomes especially significant.
Ferrari’s work should nevertheless be recognised. The team improved the SF-26 with a series of small rear-end adjustments and produced a clear step forward in performance. The challenge now is to confirm that progress over the full 300-kilometre Grand Prix distance if Ferrari wants to turn its qualifying competitiveness into victory.
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