Peter Windsor pinpoints the moment that ‘really made’ Lando Norris’s Singapore Grand Prix pole lap

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Lando Norris was a cut above the rest of the field during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, after putting in a lap that was two-tenths faster than title rival Max Verstappen.

The pair start alongside each other on the front row for the race, after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted for track limits and Carlos Sainz crashed out forcing them to start from P9 and P10 respectively.

Lando Norris has been on the pace all weekend but had to achieve his pole with only one attempt in Q3 following Sainz’s crash, which brought out the red flags and disrupted a few drivers’ first runs.

Damon Hill said Norris’ lap was “great” in a post on social media, while Peter Windsor highlighted one of the reasons why it was such a great lap from Norris when speaking on his YouTube channel.

Peter Windsor explains moment that ‘really made’ Lando Norris’ pole lap

Sainz’s crash meant that many drivers were forced into doing a one-lap shootout for pole. Oscar Piastri was first out but failed to improve his lap and will start from fifth on the grid.

Norris leapfrogged him with a 1:29.525 to sit on the provisional pole, while Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to second. Leclerc was fifth quickest before having his time deleted for track limits at the second corner.

Windsor explained why Norris was a cut above the rest in the session, having looked composed throughout the weekend in Singapore.

“What really made that lap for me was how good he was through Turn 19. That’s the corner that Carlos Sainz crashed as they head onto the pit straight,” said Windsor.

“Lando began his lap with the tyres up to temperature but doing one of those things where he went in a little quicker than normal and came out of the throttle and brakes. He did that at the beginning of the lap.”

Lando Norris must capitalise on pole position at Singapore

Norris needs to close on Verstappen by outscoring him at a rate of eight points per-race, to beat the Dutchman to the title.

This is more than the gap between points awarded for second and first, but given Red Bull’s current form it could go either way for the Briton.

Norris has yet to keep the lead on the opening lap in his F1 career and Verstappen will likely try a move early on, in an attempt to control the pace knowing that McLaren struggles in dirty air.

Heading into the race, Verstappen sits 59 points ahead of him in the Drivers’ Championship while Red Bull was overtaken by McLaren in the Constructors’ title race in Baku and faces potentially getting relegated to third by Ferrari.