Starting Grid 2019 Singapore F1 GP
Top 2019 Singapore GP qualifiers: 1. Leclerc, 2. Hamilton, 3. Vettel
Event: Singapore Grand Prix
Track: Marina Bay Street Circuit
Start time: 20:10 (local) | 13:10 GMT | 05:10 PT
Charles Leclerc will start from P1 for the 5th time in his rookie year for Ferrari. He now has scored the most pole positions of all drivers this season. It was also the 3rd consecutive pole for the drive from Monaco.
Favourites Red Bull Racing didn't deliver expectations. Max Verstappen was 0,596s slower than Leclerc's pole time. Verstappen didn't make life easy for his new team mate Alexander Albon. The Thai driver was looking at exactly the same gap towards Verstappen.
Racing Point driver Sergio Pérez qualified 11, but will start form P16 due to a grid penalty for a unscheduled gearbox replacement.
Start Grid 2019 Singapore F1 GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Lap Time | Pole gap |
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:36,217 | |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:36,408 | +0,191s |
| 3 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1:36,437 | +0,220s |
| 4 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:36,813 | +0,596s |
| 5 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1:37,146 | +0,929s |
| 6 | 23 | Alex Albon | Red Bull | 1:37,411 | +1,194s |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | McLaren | 1:37,818 | +1,601s |
| 8 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Renault | 1:38,264 | +2,047s |
| 9 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:37,572 | +1,355s |
| 10 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | 1:38,697 | +2,480s |
| 11 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Toro Rosso | 1:38,699 | +2,482s |
| 12 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo | 1:38,858 | +2,641s |
| 13 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:39,942 | +3,725s |
| 14 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 1:39,957 | +3,740s |
| 15 | 11 | *Sergio Pérez | Racing Point | 1:38,620 | +2,403s |
| 16 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Racing Point | 1:39,979 | +3,762s |
| 17 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas | 1:40,277 | +4,060s |
| 18 | 63 | George Russell | Williams | 1:40,867 | +4,650s |
| 19 | 88 | Robert Kubica | Williams | 1:41,186 | +4,969s |
| 20 | 3 | *Daniel Ricciardo | Renault | 1:38,095 | +1,878s |
*Penalties:
- Sergio Pérez, Racing Point car 11, received a five places grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox replacement.
- Daniel Ricciardo, Renault car 3, has been disqualified for exceeding the MGU-K unit power and will has to start from the back of the grid.
2019 Singapore F1 GP Race Strategy
The theoretically fastest strategy for the 61-lap Singapore Grand Prix, which is likely to go to the full two hours, is a one-stopper – but with 18 safety cars since the first race was held here in 2008, anything can happen.
In a perfect world, the best way is to start on the soft for 16 to 20 laps and then switch to the medium. An alternative strategy (for those starting outside the top 10), which is very closely matched on time, is to start on the medium tyre for 28 to 32 laps, and then go to hard. The slowest one-stopper is soft to hard, changing after 14 to 18 laps.
On paper, a two-stopper is definitely slower, but the way to do it would be two stints on the soft of 12 to 14 laps each, and a final run to the flag on medium. In reality, the race circumstances often tend to be dictated by opportunities presented by the safety car. With a long and unpredictable grand prix, this is one of the hardest races of the year to predict a strategy for.
2019 Singapore F1 GP Race Notes
- Safety cars. We've said it before, but this has often been the key influencer at Singapore, with more than one safety car in the race also a common occurrence.
- Strategy. The top 10 will all be starting on the soft tyres but there's scope for those further down the grid to start on the medium and run an alternative strategy. All three nominated compounds are solid race tyres.
Check out 2019 Singapore F1 GP Qualifying Report & Classification
Check out 2019 F1 Championship Standings
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