Charles Leclerc had no answers for Mercedes under the lights in Singapore qualifying and admitted that he was in no position to apply pressure from the fourth row. The Ferrari driver could only find P7 on the starting grid, one spot behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton, in what was another subdued showing for the Scuderia.The Marina Bay qualifying session belonged to George Russell. His 1m29.158s lap beat Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to the front of the grid for his second pole of the season. Kimi Antonelli backed him up with fourth in the other Mercedes, clocking a 1m29.537s. Hamilton, meanwhile, managed sixth with a run of 1m29.688s, while Leclerc was just behind with a 1m29.784s lap.When asked about expectations at a track where he already has two podiums, Leclerc admitted even he was surprised."Yeah, big surprise. And I think the biggest surprise is seeing the Mercedes on pole, where they struggled in the past on hot conditions, and they come here and they put it on pole… We’ll try to put them under pressure tomorrow. But I’m not sure that from P6 or P7 they will feel any kind of pressure," he said with a smile.For Ferrari, the gap to the leaders was telling: more than six-tenths off the pace.George Russell’s effort highlighted the contrast. After topping Q2, he drove the car between the walls, even brushing concrete on his way to the pole. The margins were razor-thin as he found another seven thousandths on his final lap, but enough to deny Verstappen and Piastri in a tense fight.Charles Leclerc during the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix qualifying session. Source: GettyCharles Leclerc’s night, meanwhile, had nearly ended earlier. A shaky Q2 left him sitting in the drop zone before a final push lap rescued his place in the pole shootout. But Hamilton ultimately beat him in qualifying for just the sixth time this season, underlining Ferrari’s lack of rhythm.It followed another muted showing in Baku, where Leclerc could do no better than 10th. Known for his speed over one lap, the Monegasque has twice started from pole in Singapore, in 2019 and 2022, and finished runner-up both times. But this time it ended in frustration."I’ve always loved Ferrari, and that’s where I draw my motivation from": Charles Leclerc on dealing with a disappointing seasonCharles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari after crashing in the F1 Dutch Grand Prix. Source: GettyCharles Leclerc insists his love for Ferrari is the reason he keeps pushing through another winless year. During the week, he reflected on how the campaign has been difficult but explained why his commitment has not wavered."Because I love this team very much, I think that’s the answer. I’ve always loved Ferrari, and that’s where I draw my motivation from, because I want to bring back Ferrari to the top… I’ll do absolutely everything until I stop believing in the project. But at the moment I’m fully into it, I’m fully working on it. That’s what motivates me," Leclerc said (via RN365).Ferrari had entered 2025 with high expectations after narrowly missing out on the constructors’ crown to McLaren last year. The SF-25 was designed to bridge that gap, with Lewis Hamilton’s arrival seen as a bold step in their rebuild. But 17 races in, they remain winless. McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull have all won, while Ferrari continues to search for an elusive breakthrough.Charles Leclerc has done the heavy lifting. He has five podiums, including a P2 in Monaco, and leads Hamilton in both qualifying (12–6) and races (14–3). Yet the contrast to 2024 is stark. After 17 rounds last season, Ferrari had three wins, two by Leclerc. Now McLaren's dominance has left the title fight almost sealed, with the papaya squad able to clinch the championship in Singapore with just 13 more points.