Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed a double in Singapore on Saturday as he won a chaotic sprint race before clinching pole position for Sunday's Grand Prix.
The Dutchman has largely endured a frustrating campaign but will now be fancied to make it back-to-back race victories after his triumph at the Bahrain Grand Prix, hosted in Malaysia last weekend. That breakthrough followed a run of three successive podiums for the four-time world champion.
Verstappen will have Ferrari's Charles Leclerc alongside him on the front row while Lewis Hamilton was third-fastest. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was only fourth-fastest for Mercedes.
The result means Verstappen will be on pole for his 250th F1 race and for the first time at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Earlier in the day, Verstappen, 29, had showcased his pace by winning an eventful sprint race staged in tricky conditions.
Russell was leading, with the track still wet from an earlier downpour, when he drifted a little wide at the final corner of the first lap and lost control. His Mercedes flew across the track and into the wall.
Ferrari's Hamilton took second place, having made a flying start from sixth on the grid with teammate Leclerc taking third.
A late collision between the McLarens as Lando Norris tried to pass Oscar Piastri lifted Antonelli into fourth place. The result, combined with Russell's retirement, stretched the Italian's overall lead in the championship to 89 points.
Rain had delayed the start of the inaugural sprint at Marina Bay, and with overtaking nearly impossible, the only drama came in the form of collisions and a record nine retirements.
“I think we shouldn't host a sprint where you can't pass,” Verstappen told reporters after notching his first victory at the circuit.
“I'm fine, I just do my thing … but it's not what I like. The overtake mode, it barely does anything here. You don't really gain a lot on the straights … we need to have a longer straight or like more of a proper hairpin to overtake.”
