Team Reactions to Sprint Qualifying at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix

Red Bull Red Bull made an impression during Sprint Qualifying, with Max Verstappen securing pole position. Notably, neither Verstappen nor Isack Hadjar used the soft tires during FP1, leaving some mystery around their pace. Verstappen's impressive final lap in SQ3 secured his position at the front, despite a minor run-in with the stewards over a yellow flag incident involving Hamilton, which was dismissed. Hadjar, however, didn't set a time in SQ3 after a track limits indiscretion. Strategist Hannah Schmitz noted a mixed day, stressing the importance of the upcoming sessions.

Mercedes Mercedes had a day of mixed fortunes. George Russell secured a commendable second place, just missing out on pole to Verstappen. Kimi Antonelli, however, struggled with car balance, ending up seventh. Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin highlighted the team's need to analyze data overnight to optimize performance.

Ferrari Ferrari showed potential, with Charles Leclerc grabbing third place. Lewis Hamilton ended up sixth after some struggles with rear grip on soft tires. Team Principal Fred Vasseur emphasized the importance of improving performance on the softer compound for the upcoming sessions.

McLaren McLaren's qualifying was solid, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris taking fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Team Principal Andrea Stella was pleased with the team's performance, acknowledging the close competition at the front.

Racing Bulls Racing Bulls had a mixed session with Liam Lawson reaching SQ3, securing eighth place, while Arvid Lindblad faced challenges, ending up 17th. Technical Director Dan Fallows expressed optimism for the Sprint and main race, given the car's potential.

Alpine Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto ended up tenth and eleventh. Gasly's lap time was deleted due to track limits, while Colapinto narrowly missed SQ3. The team is focused on maximizing performance for the main qualifying.

Audi Audi faced early setbacks with Nico Hulkenberg's gearbox issue in FP1, but both drivers made it to SQ2, finishing twelfth and fourteenth. Racing Director Allan McNish noted the tight competition and aimed for further improvement.

Haas Haas had a decent day, with Oliver Bearman coming close to SQ3. Esteban Ocon faced issues with a lock-up, finishing 16th. Team Principal Ayao Komatsu saw room for improvement in the race setup.

Aston Martin Fernando Alonso managed 15th place, while Lance Stroll ended up 18th after a challenging FP1. The team aims to enhance performance through data analysis overnight.

Williams Williams struggled, with both cars dropping out in SQ1. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon dealt with software and handling issues, and the team is looking to improve ahead of the main sessions.

Cadillac Cadillac had a difficult session with Sergio Perez's crash at Turn 4, ending 20th, while Valtteri Bottas was 21st. Team Principal Marcin Budkowski focused on optimizing the setup for the main race.

Pirelli Pirelli's Chief Engineer Simone Berra observed significant track evolution and varying warm-up strategies among teams, anticipating quicker lap times in the upcoming sessions.