Verstappen
The Singapore Grand Prix is live on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website

At the Singapore Grand Prix, Max Verstappen finished only eighth as Charles Leclerc took pole position.

Red Bull's Verstappen appeared to have the pace to take pole but abandoned his final lap after an error and was told to pit before completing his final lap.

He swore over the radio and said he didn't understand it. What are you talking about?

Verstappen was short of gas.

Leclerc beat Verstappen's team-mates by 0.022 seconds.

The team boss said over the radio that no one would be listening.

The drivers did not pit in the session. The teams need to have enough fuel left in their cars to give a sample after the race.

Verstappen said the team told him to abandon an earlier lap that would have been good enough for pole after he made a mistake at the chicane, and that he didn't know he would not have enough fuel to do another lap.

He didn't have enough fuel in the car. We were surprised to have that extra lap but you can see that coming. I don't know how that was missed.

I should have finished the lap before they told me to take a break.

I had to create a gap for the last lap because I was getting close to Pierre.

That isn't an excuse. I can't tell you how much fuel is in the car because we have all the sensors in the world. It's incredibly frustrating.

Verstappen has won from 10th in Hungary, 15th in Belgium, and seventh in Italy, but he said it was difficult to pass.

I don't think a podium or a win is realistic.

With Verstappen's misfortune, it is less likely that he will win a second world title on Sunday than it already was.

Delight for Leclerc

After taking his second consecutive pole in Singapore, Leclerc won't care about Verstappen's problems as the race returns to the calendar after the swine flu.

Leclerc said it was special. When it's damp, every street track has a limit on the number of entrants. It worked.

It is Leclerc's ninth pole in 17 races this season and he is just one away from winning the trophy for most poles of the season, but it will be little solace after his title hopes were dashed by Ferrari's collective errors this season.

Hamilton was a contender for pole and was the fastest man on the track early in the final session, setting laps well clear of all the others.

But as the session wore on, the Mercedes lost its performance edge and the seven-time champion missed out by 0.054 seconds on the track where he set what he considers his greatest ever pole lap last year.

Hamilton was pushing hard. I was not far away. I was doing everything I could to get the job done. I thought I could get first because these guys are so fast. The grip in the final lap was to blame. We keep our heads down and hope tomorrow will be better.

Fernando Alonso's Alpine was just 0.554 seconds off the pace on a track where he has excelled and on a weekend Alpine have introduced a major floor upgrade.

The team-mate was knocked out in the first session.

Pierre Gasly, Verstappen, Kevin Magnussen, and the second Alpha Tauri of Yuki Tsunoda finished in the top ten.

George Russell blamed an engine problem for his 11th place finish in the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Alex Albon qualified 19th on his return after a medical emergency when he spent nearly 24 hours in intensive car after stopping breathing following an appendix surgery.

There is more to come.

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - BlueFooter - Blue