Max Verstappen has made an ominous threat to Lando Norris as he believes the McLaren driver impeded him during his final run in qualifying.
The Red Bull driver secured second place behind pole-winner George Russell but immediately expressed his frustration with the British driver.
The championship contender's fury stemmed from an incident where Norris allegedly drove too slowly ahead of him, compromising his qualifying lap.
Verstappen issued a stern warning to Norris following the session, declaring that the Briton's on-track behaviour "will be noted" and "will be remembered as well".
Max Verstappen was not happy with Lando Norris during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix
|REUTERS
Meanwhile, Norris disclosed he had been battling illness throughout the Singapore weekend, affecting his performance.
The incident unfolded during the crucial final moments of Q3 when Verstappen encountered Norris travelling approximately two to three seconds ahead on the circuit.
Television footage captured the Dutch driver making an error near the conclusion of his lap after encountering turbulent air from the McLaren.
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His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase responded with sarcastic commentary over team radio, stating "You can thank your mate for that one," whilst Verstappen himself expressed his frustration with loud expletives.
The disruption caused Verstappen to lose crucial downforce at a critical moment, forcing him to run straight on at a corner and compromising his opportunity to challenge Russell's pole position time.
Verstappen's anger became evident as television replays captured him shaking his fist at Norris whilst passing the McLaren on circuit.
Once out of his cockpit, the Dutch driver grabbed a microphone to express his displeasure unequivocally.
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George Russell took pole for the Singapore Grand Prix
|REUTERS
In the subsequent FIA press conference, Verstappen elaborated on the incident, explaining that drivers typically maintain six to seven-second gaps during qualifying to avoid disturbance.
He emphasised that encountering a car merely two or three seconds ahead severely compromised the clean air necessary for a Q3 lap.
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Norris addressed his challenging weekend during a television interview with Rachel Brookes, admitting he had been unwell in the days leading up to qualifying.
"If there's anywhere you don't want to be poorly, it's here," he stated, acknowledging that Singapore's demanding circuit made his condition particularly difficult.
Lando Norris has been struggling with illness during the race weekend
|REUTERS
The British driver confirmed his health had improved by Saturday, though he conceded he wasn't performing at his best. "I'm probably not optimal, but no excuses for today," he said.
Regarding McLaren's underwhelming performance, which saw him qualify fifth, Norris expressed disappointment at being three-tenths off the pace.
He attributed the struggles to front tyre issues and excessive understeer, forcing the team to compromise their setup.
The pair will now do battle around the sweltering streets of Singapore in what is known as one of the most difficult races of the year for the drivers.
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