Leclerc pips Norris in Singapore GP practice.
Charles Leclerc has narrowly beaten Lando Norris to end opening practice for the Singapore Grand Prix fastest. Ferrari continued its strong form in Marina Bay with Carlos Sainz third in the sister car, the top three split by less than two-tenths.
20 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The first and third practice sessions in Singapore are curious affairs. The meaningful running takes place under lights, while opening practice begins in the late afternoon sun. Not that there was much of it, overcast conditions helped keep a lid on temperatures, which were already above 30 degrees.

The focus was therefore on the basics; confirming right height, wing levels, and other elements of set-up with less focus on specifics such as tyre wear, which were more difficult to extrapolate meaningful data from. That prompted a split approach from the field, with half on hard compound tyres, and the other half on mediums.

Not among them as the session began, however, was Oscar Piastri, whose car had suffered a problem during pit stop practice earlier in the day. “During this morning’s pit stop practice we encountered an issue on the rear-left corner of Oscar’s car, which we are currently replacing,” a McLaren spokesperson confirmed in the minutes before practice began.

‘Leclerc pips Norris’;

https://speedcafe.com/leclerc-pips-n...e-gp-practice/


Singapore GP: Free Practice 1 Results
20 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:31.763

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 24 1:31.839 0.076

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 26 1:31.952 0.189

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:32.097 0.334

5 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 25 1:32.263 0.500

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:32.369 0.606

7 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 20 1:32.375 0.612

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 24 1:32.451 0.688

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 25 1:32.610 0.847

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 26 1:32.615 0.852

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/singapore-gp-f...ice-1-results/


Singapore Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 Results
Sep 20, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Tsunoda went up to second, going only 0.098 seconds slower than Norris. Sainz quickly took the spot off the Japanese driver, going 0.001 seconds slower than the McLaren driver at the top. However, Norris further improved his time at the top. The McLaren driver set a 1:31.839, going over three tenths clear of Sainz. Leclerc went close to Norris’ time – only 0.037 seconds off the Briton’s time.

Verstappen jumped up to third, going two-and-a-half tenths slower than Norris. However, Sainz quickly reclaimed the third spot, going just over a tenth slower than the McLaren driver. With 15 minutes to go, Leclerc went quickest, setting a 1:31.763 on the soft compound. The Monegasque went 0.076 seconds quicker than Norris.

Mercedes have been struggling in this session, with Hamilton complaining of “too much understeer” with his W15. The seven-time world champion was also struggling with traction. Piastri brushed the wall in the middle sector. The Australian finds himself in sixth. Leclerc ended the session quickest ahead of Norris and his teammate Sainz – all within two tenths.

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/si.../?nowprocket=1


2024 F1 Singapore Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
20 Sep 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

It proved to be a ding-dong battle between Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris for top honours in first practice for the Singapore Grand Prix. Around a revised Marina Bay Street Circuit now containing four DRS zones following the removal of a fiddly section in the final sector, it was Ferrari driver Leclerc who posted the fastest time with a lap of 1:31.763s, just 0.076s ahead of McLaren's Norris.

Three-time F1 champion and current standings leader Max Verstappen, who has never won at this track, had to settle for the fourth-quickest time, 0.334s off the pace in his Red Bull. As for last week's Azerbaijan GP winner, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who brushed a wall at one stage during the session, he had to settle for sixth, over six-tenths of a second adrift.

‘Free Practice 1 results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-si...tice-1-results


The early clues about Singapore GP order from FP1
Sep 20, 2024
Josh Suttill
The Race

Charles Leclerc pipped Lando Norris to top the opening Formula 1 practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix. Early indications suggest it will be another McLaren vs Ferrari fight at the front, as it was at Monza and in Baku.

Norris spent a healthy portion of the session at the top of the timesheets on a 1m31.763s but Leclerc displaced him with just over 10 minutes to go. The Ferrari driver's 1m31.763s was 0.076 seconds quicker than Norris's best effort set earlier in FP1. But Leclerc's time was set on a second push lap on his soft tyres, suggesting there's plenty of performance to come.

His Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz was third fastest, just under two tenths adrift of Leclerc. Max Verstappen appears to have quickly reestablished himself as the stronger Red Bull driver, based on FP1 in Singapore at least. He was fourth fastest, three tenths adrift of Leclerc.

‘Early clues’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...1-early-clues/


Ferrari head Singapore Grand Prix upgrades with new front wing
These are the upgrades that each team has brought to the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.
20 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

The F1 teams have introduced minimal upgrades for this weekend’s race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. With a three-week gap until USA, teams are expected to introduce their final significant upgrade packages for COTA.

However, for this weekend in Singapore, Ferrari have a brand new front wing for this weekend as they look to find more performance.

‘Upgrades’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105577...new-front-wing


Now or never for Lando Norris: Will Singapore GP mark the turning point in the F1 title fight?
Lando Norris trails Max Verstappen by 59 points in the F1 drivers' standings ahead of a make-or-break Singapore GP
20 Sep 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

The next two F1 Grand Prix will likely be pivotal in deciding the fate of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. Norris lands in Singapore knowing he’s not taken full advantage against Verstappen since the summer break across three races where McLaren have enjoyed a clearly superior car, and needs to add a hefty amount to the 19 points he’s chiselled away from the Dutchman’s lead.

Meanwhile Verstappen knows the United States GP is the first chance Red Bull has to fight McLaren and Norris on an equal footing once again, after Helmut Marko confirmed their F1 upgrade schedule. However, the gap could be down to 34 points in the title battle by the time the F1 circus reaches Austin – it all depends on how Verstappen can limit the damage in Singapore or whether Norris can truly stick his boot in.

‘Now or never’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/now...ht-verstappen/