P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sainz not discounting Verstappen from Singapore F1 victory battle
Carlos Sainz secured pole position for the second race in a row, starting alongside George Russell on the front row. The top five on the grid also includes Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen had a difficult qualifying session and will start 11th on the grid after a series of investigations that did not result in penalties. Sainz believes that Red Bull and Verstappen should not be discounted as they could still have a strong race pace, but acknowledges that this circuit will be more challenging for them than Monza. Russell, on the other hand, sees Ferrari and Norris as the main contenders against the Mercedes team, emphasizing the strategic advantage Mercedes has with an extra set of medium tires. He also highlights the importance of tire degradation and pitstops on a difficult-to-overtake circuit.
Source: motorsport
