'What the f***?' - 'Enraged' Verstappen to start in P8 ahead of Singapore Grand Prix

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix with Max Verstappen set to start in eighth ahead of the race on Sunday, October 2, 2022.

In drying conditions, Verstappen, who looks forward to securing back-to-back titles with a win in Singapore, appeared to be on course to take pole with his final throw of the dice.

However, the Red Bull driver was under instruction from his team to abort his final lap after a fuel issue, forcing him to start Sunday's race further than he would have wanted.

"I don't get it, mate,", "What the f*** is this about?" a furious Verstappen was heard saying on the team's radio via Evening Standard.

According to reports, Verstappen was told to stop because he would have been short of the required one litre of fuel, allowing his teammate Sergio Perez to instead claim second place, with Lewis Hamilton third.

Verstappen has a chance to be crowned World champion in Singapore for the second year in a row if he wins and sets the fastest lap, and team-mate Perez and Ferrari's Leclerc finish lower than fourth and eighth respectively.

The 24-year-old Dutch driver currently holds a 116-point lead, and faces an improbable task of taking the championship under the lights of the Marina Bay Circuit given his starting position on Sunday.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, missed out on pole by just 0.054 seconds but the seven-time world champion is set to face further action from the stewards for taking part in qualifying with his nose stud in.

The 37-year-old Brit was seen wearing the offending item of jewellery during practice and was summoned to see the stewards ahead of qualifying.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz qualified fourth for Ferrari, one place ahead of Alpine driver Fernando Alonso while Lando Norris was sixth for McLaren.

However, it was quite a tough qualifying race on Saturday for Hamilton's Mercedes teammate George Russell after he was eliminated from Q2.

The Englishman has been impressive for Mercedes so far this season, finishing in the top five at every race he has completed.

But Russell could struggle to keep that impressive record intact after qualifying only 11th ahead of Sunday's race.