Understanding how a rare Red Bull mistake cost Max Verstappen pole in Singapore

Red Bull Racing pulled a rabbit out of the hat when they somewhat inexplicably called star driver Max Verstappen into the pits on his final run in qualifying for tomorrow's Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen looked on course to secure his first pole at the venue, but a radio call in the final sector of his final lap called him into the pits.

"Box, Max! Box, box, box," the team exclaimed over the radio, and Verstappen's explicative response was definitely expected. The team's decision to bring Verstappen back into the pits confused everyone, especially because the defending champion was already 0.9 seconds quicker than Charles Leclerc's (Ferrari) provisional pole time.

In the end, Verstappen qualified in eighth place for tomorrow's race.

Verstappen had never started the Singapore GP from the front, and to see it being 'stolen' from him - by his own team! - left more questions than answers. Though Red Bull is yet to release an official statement, there might be a reason for doing what they did.

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Q3 CLASSIFICATIONAnd breathe... what a qualifying session that was! ??#SingaporeGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/FBlPCQu2qY

It could be fuel

A lap around the Marina Bay Circuit takes around 1min50, with Leclerc securing the position with a 1:49.412. It's not the fastest qualifying time of all circuits on the F1 calendar, but it definitely takes the longest. And with Q3 being 12 minutes long, it's better to fuel an F1 car for the session and let the driver deliver attack-and-cool-down laps until the end.

Everyone did this, but it would seem that Red Bull got their calculations wrong, leaving Verstappen vulnerable and exposed. And when the now-dreaded call