Hamilton’s pole position for Singapore in 2018 was a decisive blow in the title race against 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Sebastian Vettel.

Ahead of F1’s�🦩� visit to the Marina Bay Street Circuit, many expected Ferrari and Red Bull to hold the advantage over Mercedes.

During the hybrid era, Mercedes typically struggled in Singapore -💯 and many expected the same in 2018.

It wasn’t the case as Hamilton’s first attempt in Q3 of a 1m36.015s stormed to the top of the timesheets, three-tenths ahead of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen.

The lap wasn’t beaten as Hamilton claimed pole before sec﷽uring the win on Sunday to move closer to his fifth world title.

"That lap felt like magic," Hamilton said. "I don't know where i🐓t came from.

“The pressure was at its highest for that Q3 run and l just hit every point perfectly. That was the one lap where it all flowed 🐈beautifully. It felt incredible.”

Toto Wolff was in awe of Hamilton’s lap, stating 🌃after qualifying: “I think ෴from Lewis’ side, for me the stardust, [it was] the most epic lap I have ever seen from him.”

There’s no doubt that Hamilton’s lap was sensational - up there a🎶s one of the best in his F1 career - bu𓃲t there’s a valid argument to say it’s overrated.

Th💜e ‘shock’ factor of Hamilton taking pole on a track where Mercedes expected to struggle pot🐈entially exaggerates how good a lap it actually was.

Mercedes did secure a front row-lock out in H൲ungary earlier in the season - a high downforce track with similar characteristics. 

Plus, Hamilton’s margin over teammate 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Valtteri Bottas was also substantial in 2017 and 2019.

In 2017 it was ✃0.624s, 0.687s in 2018,🃏 and 0.738 in 2019.

The gap remained fairly stable across all three visits to Singapore - so perhaps Merce෴des🔜 just had the best car in 2018?

Even looking at Singapore 2018🦹, Verstappen was only three-tenths off pole despite an engine cutout. 

"🌸On my final run, I tried to push a bit more and I was another two tenths up,” Verstappen explained.

“Then I arrived to [Turn] 𒀰16/17 and when I had to s♛hort shift again the engine just cut out, so I had to abort.”

More impressively, without the issue, Verstappen - in weaker machinery - would have been a very close match🐟 for pole.

Perhaps Verstappen's lap was the bestไ from S༺ingapore 2018? 

Generally-speaking, Singapore has often produced some memorable p🉐ole laps over the years.

A number o𒐪f Vette💃l’s deserve more credit - and are debatably better than Hamilton’s.

His 2013 lap was so𓆏 good he remained in the pit lane for the end of qualifying given his 0.6s margin over Nico Rosber🌊g.

Similarly in 2015, he stormed to Ferrari’s🌸 first pole ꦕof the year by over 0.6s.

Perhaps the most underrated Singapore pole lap ever was 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Nico Rosberg’s from 2016, n💧early 0.6s clear of Daniꦺel Ricciardo, with Hamilton only managing third.

There’s no doubt that Hamilton’s 2018 Singapore pole lap was spectacular - it was a shock and very decisive in that year’s title race - but claiming it’s the ‘best quali꧟fying lap ever’ puts it in the overrated category.

Something can still be overඣrated and amazing - just to be clea𒁃r.

Even looking at Hamilton’s mass collection of pole laps - 2018 Australia, 2020 Styria and 2023 Hungary are a♊ll probably ahead as his best ever.