Charles Leclerc narrowly outpaced Lando Norris at the top of the timesheet as the challengers to Max Verstappen made another strong start to a race weekend in opening practice for the Singapore Grand Prix.
After finishing first and second at the end of a close-fought race on the streets of Baku five days ago, Red Bull’s in-form rivals finished in the same positions at the end of the first session on the streets of Singapore – although this time it was Ferrari narrowly ahead of McLaren courtesy of Leclerc.
Norris had led much of the late-afternoon session but Leclerc eventually went fractionally quicker than the Briton on the soft tyre runs and set the pace by 0.076s with a best time of 1:31.763.
Carlos Sainz, last year’s impressive Singapore victor, was 0.189s in third in the second Ferrari with championship leader Verstappen, who has never won around Marina Bay, just over three tenths back in fourth.
Ferrari’s hopes of making it back-to-back wins at the event have been boosted by a new front wing on the SF-24.
Baku winner Oscar Piastri was sixth fastest, 0.6s off the pace.
The Australian missed the opening dozen minutes of Friday’s first session after the team worked to fix a problem on his McLaren’s left-rear corner, which had been discovered during pit-stop practice beforehand, while he appeared to brush the Turn 10 wall later in the session.
Yuki Tsunoda, meanwhile, made an impressive start to the weekend to take fifth for RB ahead of Piastri. Team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, whose seat at the team beyond this weekend appears in major doubt, also started strongly to take seventh.
But that didn’t seem to be the case for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton 12th and George Russell 16th. Hamilton was heard over team radio reporting understeer from his car and issues with traction out of the circuit’s array of slow turns.
Practice Two – when cars will drive under the night race’s floodlights for the first time this weekend – starts at 2pm live on Sky Sports F1.
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live Singapore GP schedule
Friday September 20
11.55am: F1 Academy Qualifying
1.45pm: Singapore GP Practice Two (session starts 2pm)
3.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday September 21
8am: F1 Academy Race One
10.15am: Singapore GP Practice Three (session starts 10.30am)
1pm: Singapore GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: SINGAPORE GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday September 22
8.30am: F1 Academy Race Two
11:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP build-up
1pm: The SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Singapore GP reaction
4pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1’s thrilling 2024 season continues live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend with more stunning street circuit action, this time under the lights at the Singapore Grand Prix. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime