Ferrari’s Leclerc on pole for Singapore Grand Prix

SINGAPORE: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday as he looks to claim a stunning hat-trick of wins after triumphs in Belgium and Italy.

The 21-year-old will be joined on the front row by championship leader Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes, with Leclerc’s teammate Sebastian Vettel rounding out the top three, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas.

Despite winning the last two races on power-friendly tracks, Ferrari had been given little chance of competing under the floodlights at the demanding 23-turn layout in Singapore.

But Leclerc and Vettel tore up the script to gatecrash what was expected to be a Mercedes and Red Bull party.

“I’m extremely happy about today. It was a good lap but I lost it a few times,” Leclerc said after completing a 1:36.217 second final lap.

“I have to thank the team. We brought some new bits that worked properly. I worked hard after a bad Friday and today it paid off,” added Leclerc, who recorded his fifth pole position of the season.

Hamilton holds a 63-point lead over Bottas of Mercedes in the title race with seven rounds remaining.

The Briton said he would adopt an aggressive approach to Sunday’s race in search of a ninth victory of the season.

“I don’t know where Ferrari picked up their pace but they did a great job,” said Hamilton, who lapped in 1:36.408.