Charles Leclerc led the opening practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix, narrowly edging out Lando Norris by just 0.076 seconds. The Ferrari driver clocked a time of 1:31.763, showcasing strong performance as he aims for victory following his competitive showing in Baku. Norris had been leading for a significant portion of the session, but Leclerc’s late charge on soft tires secured him the top spot.
Carlos Sainz, the reigning champion from last year’s Singapore GP, placed third, while championship leader Max Verstappen finished fourth, more than three-tenths of a second off Leclerc’s pace. The updates to Ferrari’s SF-24, including a new front wing, appear to strengthen the team’s hopes of continuing their success on this historic street circuit.
Oscar Piastri, who recently claimed victory in Baku, finished sixth but experienced a rocky start, missing the first part of the session due to a mechanical issue. He also encountered trouble, brushing the wall at Turn 10.
Yuki Tsunoda impressed with a fifth-place showing for his team. Both Tsunoda and teammate Daniel Ricciardo concluded the session in the top eight, despite ongoing speculation regarding Ricciardo’s position with the team moving forward.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mercedes struggled, with Lewis Hamilton coming in 12th and George Russell in 16th. Hamilton expressed concerns about understeer and traction issues during the session.
The second practice session, which will take place under the race weekend’s night lights, is scheduled to start at 2 PM local time.
Singapore GP Practice One Timesheet
1) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:31.763
2) Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.076
3) Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – +0.189
4) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.334
5) Yuki Tsunoda (RB) – +0.500
6) Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.606
7) Daniel Ricciardo (RB) – +0.612
8) Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.688
9) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +0.847
10) Esteban Ocon (Alpine) – +0.852
As the excitement builds for the Singapore GP, stay tuned for more updates from this thrilling Formula 1 weekend.
