Ferrari came within just 0.054 seconds of pole position in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc producing an excellent final Q3 lap to secure second place while Lewis Hamilton finished third. The Maranello team had another opportunity to improve the car after the Sprint, but its power-unit deficit remained something that could not simply be corrected through setup changes, having already emerged as a key limitation during Sprint Qualifying.
By the chequered flag, however, Ferrari had placed both cars inside the top three. Charles Leclerc took second, while Lewis Hamilton claimed third after a qualifying session in which the two Ferrari drivers showed encouraging pace around the demanding Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Singapore Q1: Lewis Hamilton immediately looks in strong form
After the morning rain, the first major question was how much grip the Marina Bay track would provide under the lights. The two Ferraris wasted no time, leaving the garage even before the session had officially begun. Both cars were fitted with a set of Pirelli Soft tyres, and considerable attention was devoted to the warm-up phase, which was particularly important in the opening part of qualifying.
With push mode activated, both Ferrari drivers began their first flying laps. The two attempts were clean, but Lewis Hamilton was clearly faster. Shortly afterwards, a yellow flag was shown because Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull had stopped in Sector 3.
Ferrari used the interruption to bring both cars in for a double pit stop and fit fresh Soft tyres. The two SF-26s returned to the track immediately, although traffic meant their track position was far from ideal.
Once again, Ferrari focused heavily on tyre activation. Charles Leclerc could not afford a mistake because his previous lap was not sufficient to guarantee progression. The Monegasque pushed hard but still finished two tenths behind Lewis Hamilton, who was preparing for another attempt.
Lewis Hamilton then moved to the top of the timesheets. After a cool-down lap and another push lap, Charles Leclerc completed Q1 in second place, while the British driver found further improvement and remained fastest.
Singapore Q2: Ferrari is competitive, but power-unit doubts remain
Inside the garage, both drivers remained in close discussion with the engineers. Handling was analysed alongside the telemetry as Ferrari searched for areas where more performance could be extracted.
The SF-26 was putting its power down effectively in the opening metres thanks to strong traction. The remaining question was whether Ferrari would have enough available energy once the power units were turned up, or whether the two cars would suffer in the same way as they had during the previous session, when their speed had dropped noticeably towards the end of the straights.
The contrast between Ferrari’s cornering performance and its straight-line speed was especially important around Singapore. The available speed data can be explored through the F1 Top Speed Comparison.
For the moment, the SF-26 remained among the quickest cars through the corners. Lewis Hamilton lowered his benchmark again and appeared far more comfortable than he had been during Sprint Qualifying. Ferrari returned to the track on another set of Soft tyres, and Lewis Hamilton produced an excellent lap to finish four tenths ahead of Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes.
The British driver nevertheless reported slight understeer and requested an adjustment to the front-wing angle. Charles Leclerc, by contrast, complained of a general lack of grip.
Charles Leclerc therefore asked the Ferrari pit wall to check the car to determine whether anything was wrong. Bryan Bozzi explained that the tyres had not been ready. While Lewis Hamilton passed through the pit lane for the front-wing adjustment, the Monegasque began another flying lap.
A minute later, Lewis Hamilton selected race mode and pushed again. Charles Leclerc found two tenths and climbed to fourth place, while the British driver also improved.
There was still time for another lap, but only after two preparation laps designed to cool the tyres. Lewis Hamilton focused on the final corner, where he believed more time could still be found. Charles Leclerc improved by almost another two tenths, while Lewis Hamilton was unable to lower his time.
Max Verstappen was becoming an increasingly serious threat, moving to within around a tenth and a half with additional power-unit performance still available for Q3.
Singapore Q3: Ferrari loses pole by just 0.054 seconds
Qualifying had reached its decisive phase. Maximum precision was essential at Marina Bay, where the proximity of the barriers gives drivers greater opportunity to make a difference than at many other circuits. The importance of precision around Singapore had already been underlined by the circuit’s combination of narrow walls, low-speed corners and traction zones.
Charles Leclerc was the first of the two Ferrari drivers to head onto the circuit, with Lewis Hamilton following two minutes later. Both cars were once again equipped with brand-new sets of Soft tyres.
Charles Leclerc’s first lap was relatively clean, although there appeared to be more performance available from his driving. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was slightly imprecise in Sector 3. The British driver needed to find just over a tenth to challenge Max Verstappen’s provisional pole time.
The main loss came at Turn 17, where the mistake cost Lewis Hamilton roughly one tenth. After a brief pause in the pits, Ferrari sent both cars back out for the final attempt.
Tension was high, with the usual meticulous attention devoted to tyre preparation. Track position was good, giving both Ferrari drivers the conditions needed to attack on the final decisive lap.
Lewis Hamilton made mistakes through Turns 1 and 2, then again in the second sector and the third sector. It was ultimately a poor final lap and prevented him from improving his time.
Charles Leclerc, however, delivered when it mattered most. The Monegasque finally found the feeling he needed on his decisive lap and finished just 0.054 seconds away from pole position. The result left Ferrari with second and third on the grid, having come within only 54 milliseconds of taking pole in Singapore.
The tiny gaps and differences between the drivers can be examined in greater detail through the F1 Qualifying Telemetry & Corner Comparison, particularly for the areas where Ferrari’s cornering strength contrasted with its straight-line limitations.
The P2-P3 result therefore capped an encouraging qualifying session for Ferrari, which had looked competitive from Q1 onwards and ultimately came extremely close to converting that pace into pole position. The complete weekend format and remaining session information can be found in the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix schedule.
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