Max Verstappen fires warning at Lando Norris after Singapore qualifying drama

Max Verstappen aimed a parting shot at Lando Norris, accusing his F1 rival of ruining his qualifying run at the Singapore Grand Prix.

To much surprise, it was George Russell who claimed pole position at Marina Bay on Saturday, ahead of Verstappen.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri qualified third for Sunday’s race, with Russell’s Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli fourth and Norris fifth.

It’s a blow for Norris’ title hopes, with overtaking tricky at the street circuit but the Brit was also the subject of the reigning champion’s fury.

As the Red Bull star was attempting his final flying lap, he came across a slow moving McLaren who was entering the pit-lane and abandoned his lap, waving his hand at his rival in frustration as he drove past.

Missing out on pole by less than two-tenths of a second, Verstappen swore over the team radio as his engineer told him: ‘You can thank your mate [Norris] for that. Hard luck, P2.’

In the immediate aftermath, the furious Dutchman did not mince his words, saying: ‘That’s what happens when there’s a car in front of you just cruising two seconds in front.

‘That’s noted. It will be remembered as well.’

Asked who he was referring to, Verstappen replied: ‘Not Oscar! So that was a bit of a shame, otherwise I think it could have been close for pole.

‘In qualifying, you always try to leave gaps of six or seven seconds because you want no disturbance.

‘You need every kind of clean air that you can have on a Q3 lap, especially because you’re fully on the limit with braking and everything. And I lost a bit of downforce with that. So I went straight on.’

2009 F1 champion Jenson Button said that Norris did not technically do anything wrong but understood Verstappen’s frustration.

The Sky Sports pundit said: ‘I get where Max is coming from. You’re trying to maximise everything and building up to it. It was looking close, it would have been very difficult to take it off George.

‘There are no rules against that, there’s nothing wrong with Lando doing that. It’s just frustrating for the driver behind because he’s lost a bit of downforce.’

Verstappen has had a few clashes with Norris over the years, most recently on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix.

The Brit didn’t take too kindly to what was said responding: ‘Ah, they always complain. They complain about everything. It’s Red Bull.

‘I was like three seconds ahead or something. I can’t work it out.’

The 25-year-old also revealed that he’s been battling illness this weekend, far from ideal when racing in extremely humid conditions.

‘If there’s anywhere you don’t want to be poorly it’s here but I am better today,’ he told Sky Sports.

‘Yesterday and the day before I was struggling a little bit. It hit me pretty quickly but it also went away relatively quickly. I am probably not optimal but no excuses for today.’

The Singapore Grand Prix gets underway at 1pm UK time on Sunday.