Helmut Marko takes aim at Lando Norris after securing Singapore Grand Prix pole position

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McLaren driver Lando Norris has secured his fourth Formula 1 pole position in the last six races.

Lando Norris was brilliant once again over one lap and while every driver around him struggled with their tyres, he extracted enough pace out of his McLaren to start at the front of the grid once again.

Norris will be joined on the front row of the grid by rival Max Verstappen who took advantage of Ferrari’s disastrous Q3 and the struggles of those around him to outperform what many thought his Red Bull was capable of.

A second-row lockout from Mercedes means Oscar Piastri may struggle to support his teammate in his battle to reduce Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship.

McLaren overtook Red Bull in the team standings in Azerbaijan and with Sergio Perez starting outside of the points on Sunday, have a fantastic opportunity to extend their advantage.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Speaking to the Austrian television network ORF after qualifying, Red Bull chief Helmut Marko shared his thoughts on Sunday’s race.

Marko is one of Verstappen’s closest allies in the Red Bull camp and thinks the Dutchman can take advantage of Norris’s poor race starts to take the lead of the race.

The 26-year-old has run into trouble heading into turn one at the Singapore Grand Prix before.

Verstappen clashed with both Ferrari drivers back in 2017 and his reputation for being aggressive off the line in Formula 1 might just be playing on Norris’s mind as he watches the five red lights go out.

Helmut Marko pinpoints Lando Norris weakness ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix

Previewing the race, Marko said: “We have yet to see it all, mind you. The race will be long and overtaking is difficult in Singapore.

“But we do know that Norris is not the best starter. The distance to the first corner is relatively short, but we are now in a better position.”

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from height and parents to celebration

Asked about Red Bull potentially using a different strategy to help their drivers, he continued. “At the moment it seems that a one-stop will be enough during the race, but I don’t really assume that strategy will have a big impact on the course of the race.

“A safety car, on the other hand, could, because a lot can change depending on when a safety car is sent onto the track.

“Then it could well be that teams could turn whole strategic plans upside down again just because that safety car comes at the wrong time.”

Peter Windsor highlights what helped Lando Norris earn pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix

Damon Hill was among those who were incredibly impressed with Norris as he secured another pole position to add to his growing collection.

Zak Brown has made his stance clear on McLaren’s team orders going into the race but it’ll only become clear once the first lap has been navigated by every driver to see how that will play out.

Norris will be well aware of what he has to do going into the first corner but will also know that Verstappen can afford to be aggressive, as any move that takes them both out benefits him.

F1 expert Peter Windsor explained how Norris took pole position ahead of Verstappen and his rivals and it came down to his preparation for the lap.

This is something that Carlos Sainz should have taken note of after crashing as he was about to begin his first flying lap of Q3.