Lando Norris topped the timesheets during Friday practice for the Singapore Grand Prix, marking a significant contrast to his championship rival Max Verstappen, who struggled to find pace, finishing 15th.
Norris clocked a time just 0.058 seconds faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while Verstappen lagged 1.294 seconds behind Norris. The McLaren driver is looking to close the 59-point gap to Verstappen this weekend, stating that his car was “feeling good.” Conversely, Verstappen described his day as “difficult,” indicating issues with grip.
Mercedes drivers also faced challenges, with George Russell ending up seventh overall after crashing at the end of the second session. Lewis Hamilton reported the team was “a little bit lost” regarding performance.
Norris expressed satisfaction with his lap, saying, “Pace is good. It was also a nice lap. We’re doing what we expect, I guess, to be up at the front and together with Ferrari but it was a very nice lap and Charles is just behind.” He acknowledged the speed of Ferrari, remarking, “I was hoping to have a much bigger gap which means they’re quick. Ferrari are very, very fast.”
Verstappen noted, “Difficult. Not having the grip that we would like. We have a few things to look at,” indicating that the team would need to assess their setup. He mentioned, “I was not really struggling with the bumps or kerbs just general grip so we have to look at the trade-off between the two.”
The FIA also reprimanded Verstappen for swearing during Thursday’s news conference, requiring him to complete community service.
Last year, Singapore was the only race where Red Bull did not secure a victory during a dominant season. This year, the team anticipated difficulties, particularly as they aim to fend off challenges from Norris and McLaren.
Despite winning seven of the first ten races this season, Verstappen has not achieved a victory in the last seven races. Singapore offers Norris a chance to narrow the points gap, but he remains cautious about Ferrari’s performance, especially from Leclerc, who won from pole in Monaco in May.
Norris commented on Leclerc’s street circuit skills, noting, “Charles is very good at street circuits, we have seen in Baku and Monaco what he’s capable of doing. I felt like I got a lot out of Friday. We’re in a good place and if we can keep it up, I’ll be happy.”
Leclerc shared his thoughts, stating, “It felt good but there is still some work to be done, the car didn’t exactly feel like I wanted so we still have to try and improve it.” He acknowledged the unpredictable weather forecast for the weekend, indicating a need for quick adaptation.
Norris and Leclerc’s pace was consistent throughout both the one-lap and race simulations, demonstrating strong performance. Russell’s crash at Turn Eight, caused by a wheel lock, left him 0.761 seconds off the pace, while Hamilton was 0.982 seconds behind Norris, expressing frustration with the car’s setup.
Hamilton remarked, “The car feels very difficult. A very challenging day. We have tried everything set-up wise and nothing seems to work.” He expressed uncertainty about their position going into qualifying.
Carlos Sainz from Ferrari completed the top three, finishing 0.629 seconds off Norris, followed by Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Russell highlighted unexpected performances from other teams, noting, “There are a lot of surprises out there. The RBs really quick, the Williams really quick.”
As practice concluded, heavy rain hit Singapore, with intermittent rain predicted for the remainder of the weekend.
