\n<\/p>\n
Norris said: “I was finding it tough to progress much and the guys around me were getting quicker and quicker putting me under pressure. But it was good enough for pole. I felt confident all weekend. Maybe not so much in qualifying, but we got the job done.”<\/p>\n
Verstappen, who had been unhappy with his car in Friday practice, said: “The whole of qualifying went quite well. We managed to improve the car.<\/p>\n
“I am happy to be on the front row if you look at where we came from yesterday. Everyone only has one lap so you don\u2019t want to overdo it. I take second, I\u2019m happy with that.”<\/p>\n
Hamilton\u2019s third place is his best qualifying since he was second on the grid at the British Grand Prix.<\/p>\n
He said: “Qualifying has been a disaster for me all year long and I have just been working and working and working trying to get myself back up there and all of a sudden the car came to me for the first time in a long time in qualifying.<\/p>\n
“We have been moving up and down on balance. We have changed everything and the mechanics have been faultless and I hope we are in a good position to fight for the front tomorrow.”<\/p>\n
Hamilton edged out Russell by just 0.026secs, while Piastri ended up 0.428secs slower than Norris.<\/p>\n
The Australian has promised to help Norris in his title fight with Verstappen if he can, but starting three places behind the Red Bull will make that difficult.<\/p>\n
Leclerc had vied with Norris for fastest time throughout Friday but said that Ferrari had a problem with the blankets which are used to heat the tyres to the correct temperature.<\/p>\n
“A very bad job is our result today,” Leclerc said. “For whatever reason, I don\u2019t know if it is our mistake or a component mistake but the blanket was not working properly.<\/p>\n
“We had completely cold tyres on the fronts and never really recovered the temperature. Got into Turn One, braked, locked the front wheels, did track limits and that was it.<\/p>\n
“Considering how important it is in Singapore, all the work we have done to be ready in Q3, I consider it quite crazy we do something like this.”<\/p>\n
Sainz, meanwhile, was fined 25,000 euros (\u00a321,000) for crossing the track and pit lane without permission after his crash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n