Verstappen surprised after clinching sprint pole position

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen

Four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen unleashed a dazzling display of speed under the lights to go fastest in Friday's sprint qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old lit up the timing screens with a one minute, 31.156 second lap in his Red Bull to go 0.120 seconds quicker than Mercedes rival George Russell. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was 0.243 seconds adrift in third.

"I did not expect this, very happy to be first," said Verstappen, fresh from having taken his first win of the season at last week's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, after the session.

"The last few races we have been a lot stronger. This track still highlights a few weaknesses in the car, but we have tried to drive with them as much as possible," he added.

The sprint pole was Verstappen's 11th in the format since it was first rolled out in 2021.

It was also his first in any format around the 4.9-kilometer Marina Bay street layout. The track is only one of only two on the calendar the 29-year-old is yet to win at. The other, Spain's Madring, made its debut just last month.

Verstappen had to wait to have it confirmed, however, with the Dutchman investigated for passing Ferrari rival Lewis Hamilton under yellow flag conditions. He was eventually cleared.