F1 live: Singapore GP qualifying as it happened

There is plenty of news and reaction from Singapore GP qualifying to come, but we'll wrap up the live blog there. Thank you for joining us and do come back tomorrow as we build up to the race at 13:00 BST. See you then!

Another driver to endure a miserable session was Daniel Ricciardo, who will start 16th tomorrow. Referencing Nelson Piquet Jr's role in helping team-mate Fernando Alonso to win the inaugural Singapore GP by crashing deliberately in 2008, he said: "Hopefully, [we get] a well-timed safety car. Bring Piquet back, and let's make it happen." 

What will likely help McLaren's case is that Ferrari will be starting from ninth and tenth after a disastrous Q3. Leclerc had his best time deleted, although was always going to start ahead of Sainz who crashed in the early stages while winding up a lap. But with Piastri only fifth on the grid, he won't be able to deploy blocking tactics to aid Norris as effectively as Leclerc did for Sainz last year, so all is still to play for tomorrow.

It always looked during practice like Singapore would suit McLaren in qualifying, and now that has come to pass with Norris on pole. But the race tomorrow is far from a foregone conclusion. Verstappen has never won in Singapore and will be eager to end a mini drought dating back to June's Spanish GP. Hamilton in third has no shortage of motivation either.

In case you missed any of the action from that thrilling qualifying session, here is the full report from Jake Boxall-Legge.

Will the changes made to his car help him over a race distance tomorrow? "That I have no idea," grins Hamilton. A winner here in 2009, 2014, 2017 and 2018, could number five at Marina Bay come tomorrow?

Hamilton also had a tough time on Friday, and says "the car came alive" in qualifying. He gives a special shoutout to his mechanics, having changed "everything" on the car this weekend so far.

Verstappen says Red Bull managed to improve his car with each run and is happy to be on the front row after his struggles on Friday. "I take second, I'm happy with that," he adds.

Norris reckons the lap he was on prior to the red flag was better than the one he ended up setting to take pole, and remarks that he's been feeling confident all weekend in Singapore.

Fastest in FP3 and fastest in qualifying - it's a perfect Saturday for Lando Norris. But the real points come tomorrow of course, which explains why he's not the most enthusiastic we've ever heard him on the radio.

Leclerc's lap deletion means he also starts behind Alonso in seventh and Tsunoda in eighth.

It's a fifth pole of the year then for Norris, who beats Verstappen fairly comfortably in the end. Hamilton and Russell share row two, while Piastri was shuffled back to fifth ahead of Hulkenberg.

Leclerc loses his time for track limits at Turn 2. He'll start ninth!

It is pole position in Singapore for Lando Norris! Max Verstappen joins him on the front row, 0.203s behind the McLaren.

Leclerc will not continue Ferrari's run of pole positions in Singapore, he is only fifth for now.

A 1m29.525s is the time to shoot for then. Can Norris keep hold of pole position?

Out comes the chequered flag. Piastri does improve, but is beaten comfortably by Norris.

Times were into the mid 1m29s during Q2, so Piastri's current 1m30.037s is unlikely to be the benchmark following these final flyers of qualifying. But who will be on top? We'll find out shortly as Piastri is the first man to start his hot lap.

Alonso has been noted for an unsafe release.

McLaren does jump first with Piastri leading out Norris.

The conundrum as always is thus; the track conditions should be most favourable to whoever runs last with falling temperatures and a grippier surface. But that induces an element of jeopardy in the event of another red flag. Going early guarantees getting a lap in.

The waiting game continues for the time being. Who will be first to jump?

Sainz meanwhile has been noted by the stewards for crossing the track on foot.

The session has now resumed, but contrary to our prediction that everybody would be queued at the end of the pitlane, things are rather static. It seems nobody deems it worthy to have another go with the tyres they were using for the abortive first runs and everything is being saved for the last run.

We've heard from our man Mark Mann-Bryans down at the driver pen, who tells us that Kevin Magnussen believes running an older spec rear wing to Hulkenberg was a key factor in him missing out on Q3.

There will be 8m04s on the clock when the session resumes, which means everybody should still be able to get two runs in. It may mean though that there's a scramble to be first in the queue at the pit exit.

The session will resume at 22:07 local time, in just under three minutes.

Replays show that Verstappen certainly lifted to heed the yellows for Sainz's crash, so shouldn't be in hot water for gunning it to the line.

Sainz has now returned to the Ferrari garage. Fortunately for him, it wasn't the longest of walks from the final turn. Former F3000 racer Jamie Davies tells a story of spinning his Edenbridge Lola off at the Hungaroring in 1999 and having to run back to the pits via an access tunnel while still in his helmet - no scooters available - to get in team-mate Oliver Gavin's car and qualify. Never was more energy exerted to reach 26th on the grid...

Last year's Singapore GP winner will therefore start no higher than tenth in 2024. Sainz's damaged car is currently being craned away, with heavy damage on the left-rear corner in particular.

Piastri and Hulkenberg are the only two drivers to get a lap in before the stoppage, but you would expect both of their times to be beatable once the session resumes.

"I don't know if it was cold tyres, dirty air or I was... big snap," remarks a semi-bemused Sainz over the radio. He's thankfully out of the car.

Replays show Sainz lost the back end as he was lining up for a hot lap. Very unusual to see.

The time Verstappen lost was a 1m29.791s, but it is Piastri who is credited with the fastest time so far of a 1m30.037s.

And so it is confirmed, Verstappen loses his time because double yellows were showing.

Sainz lost it at the final corner and went backwards into the barriers. Verstappen actually crossed the line under yellow flags.

Moments after Verstappen goes quickest from Piastri, we have red flags!

All 10 drivers are now out on track trying to avoid temperature spiking in their tyres on their warm-up laps. Who will lay down the gauntlet and seize provisional pole on the first runs?

Q3 is go, with Hulkenberg looking to build on an excellent seventh in Q2 leading the field out of the pits.

After the travails of Friday, could Verstappen and Red Bull snatch a first pole since June's Austrian GP? It doesn't seem a prospect to completely dismiss after he fell just 0.040s of topping Q2.