2024 F1 Singapore GP: Qualifying Predictions

The first day of running in the F1 Singapore GP is done and dusted. What's more interesting is that rain started falling as soon as the first day came to an end and what we will have on Saturday is a green track once again and it will be on the teams and drivers to lay down the rubber.

There are forecasts of rain maybe being a disruptor once or twice during the sessions but more or less it is expected to steer clear. With that being said, we've had two hours of dry running on the track. To read what we've learned from the running, click here.

The day ended with Lando Norris less than a tenth quicker than Charles Leclerc. With that being said, what can we expect from the F1 Singapore GP qualifying? Let's take a look.

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#5 RB, Williams, and Fernando Alonso are in contention for a top-10 slot

There's something about Williams ever since the team implemented that new upgrade as it has certainly made the car much better. It's a more all-rounded machine now as compared to the one-dimensional nature it had in the last few years. With that being said, RB also looks formidable around the track, and you can never count out Fernando Alonso at the F1 Singapore GP.

It will be interesting to see who takes the upper hand, but it's going to come down to these drivers to secure a top-10 spot.

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#4 Lewis Hamilton does not make it to Q3

Lewis Hamilton did not look comfortable around Marina Bay even once on Friday, and the driver has not had a clean run at all. What's worse is that this weekend, even Mercedes appears to be a clear step behind Ferrari and McLaren, with even George Russell's time being almost half a second slower than Lando Norris.

When that is the case, the driver who has been worse off in qualifying this season is bound to struggle. Hamilton has not had the smoothest run over a single lap this season, and we're predicting that he won't start the F1 Singapore GP inside the top 10.

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#3 If Max Verstappen does make it to Q3, it would be an achievement

If we go through the run plans and the actual data, Max Verstappen specifically finds himself in a tough spot. Even Helmut Marko sounded perplexed at how the car was in such bad shape on Friday. Unless Red Bull can find something within the car, this race weekend is going to be a horror show for Verstappen. The Dutch driver's qualifying simulation didn't even make it to the top 10.

The situation is dire for the Red Bull driver at the F1 Singapore GP, and we'll have to wait and see if the driver can actually extract something special from the car and drag it into the top 10 in qualifying.

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#2 It's going to be a battle between McLaren and Ferrari for pole

Not a rocket science prediction this one, but it's going to be a battle between McLaren and Ferrari for the pole position. Unless one of the rivals finds something extraordinary overnight, it's hard to see either Mercedes or Red Bull getting close to the top 2 teams.

The gap was just too big during the F1 Singapore GP free practice sessions and this gap does not appear to be one that can be bridged with just setup changes. It's going to be hard to see anyone else get close to Ferrari and McLaren when it comes to the battle for pole position this weekend.

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#1 Charles Leclerc secures pole position for the F1 Singapore GP

We're going with Charles Leclerc as our pick for pole position. The F1 Singapore GP FP2 saw Leclerc and Norris beautifully stretch their legs and just pull out more than half a second gap to their respective teammates. Doing the same in qualifying might be a bit difficult because both Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz are no slouches and will look at their teammates' data to improve.

With that being said, it's going to come down to Norris and Leclerc. While the McLaren driver is brilliant in his own right, Charles is just special over a lap in that Ferrari, and we're backing him to secure pole position for the F1 Singapore GP.