F1 | FP2 | Singapore Grand Prix | Piastri fastest in chaotic red-flagged session - Motorsport

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The floodlights are on at the Marina Bay Street Circuit as teams and drivers prepare for the FP2 session of the Singapore Grand Prix. The first practice session took place earlier today. Drivers will navigate the demanding 4.927-kilometer layout, a bumpy and unforgiving track where precision is paramount.

The primary challenge remains the grueling weather. The ambient temperatures, hovering around 30°C (86°F), and oppressive humidity levels exceeding 80% will push both driver and car to their physical and mechanical limits.

Early stoppages disrupt running

The session began with most teams opting for the medium compound tyre to gather crucial long-run data, with only Aston Martin bucking the trend on an alternate strategy. The track’s treacherous nature quickly became apparent when Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli brought out a brief yellow flag, locking up and finding the run-off at Turn 14. This was a minor incident but served as a clear warning.

Soon after, a more serious crash brought out the first red flag at the Singapore Grand Prix second practice session. George Russell went wide and made heavy contact with the barrier, destroying the front wing of his Mercedes. While Russell managed to drive the damaged car back to the pits, the incident brought a premature and frustrating end to his vital evening session.

Red flags and pit lane drama

Following the restart, the focus shifted to qualifying pace, with most of the field switching to the soft compound tyres. However, the action was once again halted by a second, more dramatic red flag. RB’s Liam Lawson suffered a snap of oversteer before his right-rear tyre detached and bounced across the track. With sparks and flames visible from the car’s floor, Lawson parked the stricken vehicle at the pit lane entrance.

The drama was not confined to the track. Singapore Grand Prix now has a notoriously narrow pit lane, which produced a heart-stopping moment between Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. A close-quarters exit from the Ferrari garage resulted in contact, inflicting minor damage on Norris’s front wing. The stewards launched an investigation into a potential unsafe release after the incident was noted.

Piastri leads the way

In the final dash for performance, the sector times were split between several drivers. Fernando Alonso was the master of the first sector (26.860s), Max Verstappen dominated the winding middle part of the lap (38.010s), and Lance Stroll was quickest of all in the final sector (25.597s).

When the chequered flag finally fell on a chaotic session, it was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri on top, setting a blistering benchmark of 1:30.714. He was followed by a surprising name, Isack Hadjar, who put his RB in second, just +0.132s behind. Verstappen rounded out the top three, a mere +0.143s off the ultimate pace. This set the stage for a tight battle at the front as the weekend unfolds.