Singapore GP Practice: Norris Shines, Verstappen Off the Pace

Singapore Grand Prix saw title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris experience contrasting fortunes during Friday practice. Norris set the fastest lap in his McLaren finishing just 0.058 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc while Verstappen struggled, ending the session in 15th, 1.294 seconds slower than the Briton. Norris, currently trailing Verstappen by 59 points in the championship, expressed satisfaction with his car.

He said it felt “good” and that McLaren was delivering as expected. However, he noted Ferrari’s strong pace especially Leclerc, who is a proven performer on street circuits like Singapore. Verstappen described his day as “difficult,” citing grip issues as the main challenge. Despite his recent struggles including a seven-race winless streak, Verstappen remains the championship leader but faces pressure from McLaren and Ferrari.

Mercedes also faced difficulties with George Russell finishing seventh overall but crashing towards the end of the second session while teammate Lewis Hamilton said the team felt “lost” and struggled with the car’s setup. Hamilton was nearly a second slower than Norris. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished third fastest, 0.629 seconds off Norris’ pace with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounding out the top five.

Russell remarked on the surprising performance gaps between teams, noting Red Bull’s unexpected lack of pace compared to the McLarens and Ferraris. With intermittent rain forecast for the rest of the weekend, teams will need to adapt quickly to changing conditions.

As Singapore is one of the few tracks where Red Bull struggled last year, Norris sees an opportunity to close the gap to Verstappen, although he remains wary of Ferrari’s street-circuit strength, particularly Leclerc’s.