The leader of the World Cup Formula 1, Oscar Piastri (McLaren)regained sensations this Friday by achieving the best time in the second free practice session of the Singapore Grand Prixmarked by two accidents, red flags and a strange incident in the pit lane between Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.
On the local night, the Australian surpassed the Frenchman Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and the current four-time world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull), in third.
“I found my rhythm halfway through and in the end I felt good. Obviously it’s not very representative of the race, but the car responded and I feel like I learned a lot today. It was the goal,” said Piastri.
Best time in the first session held in tropical heat, the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) qualified fourth in free practice 2.
The British Norris (McLaren), victim of the collision in the pit lane with Leclerc (Ferrari), included the Top 5.
In a rare coordination failure, Leclerc collided with Norris’s Mercedes with both cars attempting to enter the circuit at the same time.
“It will cost the team a little money, it’s a shame. It was a difficult day, I didn’t feel very good in the car. I lost all the feeling I had last year, there are a lot of things to work on,” declared Norris, winner last year in Singapore.
Two interruptions
The Ferraris did no better than ninth and tenth, with Leclerc ahead of his experienced teammate, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
The second hour of free practice of the day, much more lively than the first, was marked by the departure of George Russell, who lost control of his Mercedes before hitting a wall at high speed.
The incident, in which he lost his front wing, caused a red flag for around ten minutes while the track was cleared and secured.
New Zealander Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) also made a mistake just a few minutes after the restart of training, requiring another interruption.
Heat alert
The second session, held at night, is the only one representative of the qualifying conditions scheduled for Saturday at 9:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT) and the race scheduled for Sunday at 8:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. GMT).
The Singapore GP is held at night to maximize the number of European viewers due to the time difference, but also to limit the effects of the heat on the drivers.
On Thursday, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) activated its high temperature alert for the first time because more than 31°C is expected on Sunday night for the race.
This Friday several pilots tested the vests and their intricate system of cooling tubes under their suits. The temperature is around 28°C, somewhat cooler than usual, but with a very uncomfortable 80% humidity.
Established after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, when several drivers had to receive medical attention after suffering from the heat, the high temperature rule allows them to wear special cooling vests during the race.
In the World Championship, Piastri has a 25-point advantage over his teammate Norris, a difference that amounts to 69 with Verstappen, third.
In the constructors’ classification, McLaren has a new opportunity to win a second consecutive title. To achieve this, you must score at least 13 points on Sunday.
