BREAKING : Verstappen dominates final Singapore GP practice as McLaren falter under pressure… Read more
Verstappen dominates final Singapore GP practice as McLaren falter under pressure
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen sent a clear warning to McLaren and the rest of the Formula 1 field after producing a commanding performance in the final practice session (FP3) ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver set the pace around the Marina Bay Street Circuit, narrowly edging out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Mercedes’ George Russell to top the timesheets.
Verstappen clocked a blistering lap time of 1:30.148, beating Piastri by just 0.017 seconds on an increasingly quick track surface. The Dutchman’s form marks a strong statement from Red Bull, especially after McLaren had looked to be the team to beat for much of the weekend. Lando Norris, who had been expected to challenge for pole position, could only manage fifth, sharing the same lap time as rookie Kimi Antonelli but ranked behind on timing data.
Mercedes appeared in solid form during the session, with both Russell and Antonelli showing consistent pace to secure third and fourth positions, respectively. Antonelli’s performance, in particular, continues to impress as the young Italian adapts quickly to life in Formula 1. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz continued his recent run of form with Williams by setting the sixth-fastest time, finishing 0.244 seconds off Verstappen’s benchmark.
Further down the order, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar impressed by taking seventh ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who finished eighth. Hamilton’s session, however, was overshadowed by an investigation from the stewards after a potential infringement under red flag conditions. The seven-time world champion was noted for slowing down when passing the stranded car of Liam Lawson before accelerating again, an action that could be deemed inconsistent with red flag protocols.
Lawson himself endured another difficult session, suffering his second crash of the weekend. After a heavy impact during Friday’s FP2, the New Zealander lost control at Turn 7, hitting the kerb and sliding into the barriers. The collision ripped the front wing off his Racing Bulls car and caused significant suspension damage, bringing out a red flag. His mechanics now face a race against time to repair the car before qualifying begins later today.
Behind Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg placed ninth for Kick Sauber, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in tenth. Williams’ Alex Albon was just outside the top ten, finishing 11th ahead of Hülkenberg’s rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto. The Haas duo of Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman came next in 13th and 14th, while Fernando Alonso’s tough weekend continued as the veteran Spaniard could only manage 15th for Aston Martin.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll followed in 16th and 17th, respectively, both struggling to extract pace from their cars. Red Bull’s second driver, Yuki Tsunoda, had a surprisingly off-form session, ending 18th and more than a second behind his teammate Verstappen. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was 19th, while Lawson’s early crash left him without a representative lap time at the bottom of the standings.
With Verstappen back on top and McLaren unexpectedly off the pace, the battle for pole position in Singapore looks wide open. Mercedes’ resurgence and Williams’ continued improvement add further intrigue heading into qualifying. As the floodlights prepare to shine on Marina Bay, all eyes will be on Verstappen to see if his dominant FP3 pace can translate into another pole — or if McLaren can strike back under pressure.
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