So why did the lizard cross the road? To see Nico Rosberg trounce Lewis...  

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The biggest talking point had been a 3ft-long lizard crossing the track until Nico Rosberg put his right foot down on Lewis Hamilton’s jugular.

The German, in his 200th race weekend, scorched to pole position with what the human eye could only call a perfect lap. Next nearest was Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo half a second back, with Hamilton seven-tenths off the man who has been his lick-spittle for most of their time together at Mercedes. 

One pole, even as dominant as this one here under the lights of Singapore, does not a champion make. But there can be detected in the consistency with which Rosberg is driving the possibility of the title not going in its usual direction.

A lizard strolled across the Marina Bay Circuit during final free practice on Saturday

Nico Rosberg (centre) took pole position in Singapore, with Lewis Hamilton (right) in third

Hamilton struggled for pace and was seven tenths of a second off the pace of Rosberg

Rosberg took pole position for Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Circuit

Just two points separate the boyhood friends with seven rounds, including today’s 61-lap grand prix, remaining. It is tight and Rosberg shows no signs of cracking. He is not just prospering by good luck, but by pulverising driving, and the momentum that seemed to be with Hamilton after his surge before the summer break has evaporated.

Rosberg took his serene temperament into yesterday’s qualifying session, banging in a lightning quick time on his first run. Hamilton, who had missed a lot of practice with technical glitches, had no immediate response. The double world champion then stirred for his second and final flying lap, but he was ragged, skimming across the red and white kerbs as sparks lit up the dark air.

‘I am definitely happy with that,’ said Rosberg. ‘It was one of my top three laps ever.’ He could not name the other two. They may not exist.

This night race has never been a productive venue for Rosberg, and victory is far from a foregone conclusion. Safety cars are a regular feature around this street circuit, while there is also the question of how the front few cars get away from the grid.

A fortnight ago Hamilton qualified massively fastest for the Italian Grand Prix but was sluggish at the start. Will the roles of the two title protagonists be reversed today?

Sebastian Vettel was eliminated from Q1 after his Ferrari suffered a suspension failure

Vettel's Ferrari was often on three wheels during Q1 and the German will start last on Sunday

Sparks fly from Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari who will start from fifth place at Marina Bay

As for the lizard, it had a better day than Hamilton. It abided by the rules of the road, waiting for the passing car to go by before scuttling across the tarmac.

‘There’s a giant lizard on the track,’ intoned Max Verstappen from inside his Red Bull. It beat the usual driver-to-team radio exchanges, which come with all the excitement of an airline stewardess telling passengers that the seat belt sign is illuminated.

Sebastian Vettel was eliminated in last place after going round the track on three wheels at times. He returned to the Ferrari garage, where his mechanics tried hurriedly to do the necessary remedial work. But the time ticked by and the broken rear anti-roll bar remained unfixed. 

Daniel Ricciardo split the Mercedes by getting his Red Bull on the front row in qualifying

Jenson Button was forced off the track in the dying stages of qualifying two at Marina Bay

Button looks at his stricken McLaren following his failure to scrape into the final session

Romain Grosjean's crash in his Haas led to a 10-minute delay to the start of third qualifying

‘That’s just stupid,’ moaned the four-time world champion as he sat in his cockpit, no doubt wondering why his team are proving less the Prancing Horse than a Blackpool Donkey.

It was all the more galling as team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was going relatively well, qualifying slower than just the Mercedes and Red Bulls.

Over on the pit wall, Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene cut a despondent figure. He looked as if he could murder one of those Marlboro Reds he used to flog before he was remarkably promoted to run the most famous marque in motor racing.

Pop star Kylie Minogue stands by Fernando Alonso's McLaren Honda before qualifying

McLaren team boss Ron Dennis (left) chats to new Formula One chairman Chase Carey

‘I wanted to come in, but we stayed out, and then I finally came in because it was just hopeless,’ said Vettel, winner in Singapore in four of the last five years. ‘But with just three or four minutes, there was no time to fix it.’

Of the remaining Brits, Jenson Button was 13th fastest after glancing the wall and puncturing a tyre, behind his McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso, who was ninth.

Jolyon Palmer, who struggled for rear grip in his Renault, was 19th quickest.

The other incident of note was Romain Grosjean, of Haas, crashing into the barriers at Turn 10. The smash effectively ended the second session and delayed the start of the final section while marshals tried to piece the Rolex sign back together.

And then Rosberg pounced.