Max fourth quickest in Singapore FP1

Published on 20 September 2024 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen started his Singapore Grand Prix weekend with a fourth place in the opening practice session. The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver trailed pace setter Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) by three tenths. McLaren’s Lando Norris second fastest ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari.

At the start of the session, it is cloudy, yet the ambient temperature still sits above the 30 degrees Celsius mark, with the track even warmer at 38 degrees. As the session gets underway, Max heads out for a seven lap stint on the medium Pirellis. Meanwhile, McLaren are working hard on Oscar Piastri’s car with an apparent issue preventing the winner of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from starting FP1.

Fifteen minutes in, Piastri does join the other drivers for practice At the halfway mark, Max switches to the soft Pirellis and improves his lap time. After half an hour, Norris leads Max, Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc and Sainz. The same protagonists vie for the top spot in the second half of the session, with Leclerc ultimately lapping the Marina Bay circuit quickest ahead of Norris and Sainz.

In the closing stages, Piastri has to return to the pits after hitting the wall. However, after quick review, the Aussie is able to a complete a few more laps until the chequered flag is waved. 

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Results first free practice Singapore: