Max Verstappen aims to pressure his F1 title rivals at the Singapore Grand Prix

SINGAPORE (AP) — Max Verstappen has a chance to extend his Formula 1 win streak and put more pressure on his title rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Verstappen starts the race from second on the grid, with Mercedes’ George Russell on pole, after qualifying suggested Piastri and Norris’ McLarens may only be the third-fastest car on the streets of Singapore.

Piastri and Norris start third and fifth respectively, with Russell’s teammate Kimi Antonelli in between the two.

Verstappen was left frustrated after he felt he could have had pole position if not for Norris “just cruising” around the track in front of him.

Verstappen won the last two F1 races in Italy and Azerbaijan and is aiming to make it three in a row for the first time since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March 2024.

Russell has never finished on the podium in Singapore and a crash in practice meant he had less opportunity to test his car on a longer run in simulated race conditions. There are “plenty of unknowns,” team principal Toto Wolff said Saturday.

It’s the first F1 race to be officially declared a “heat hazard” by the governing body, the FIA, under new rules which came in this season.

The heat and humidity in Singapore have long been a challenge for drivers, who must have cooling equipment fitted in their cars. Some, like Verstappen, have chosen not to wear the cooling vest.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing