Singapore GP: Fernando Alonso’s fastest of Charles Leclerc while the Williams car from Alex Albon takes fire | F1 News
Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin was the fastest of Charles Leclerc de Ferrari during the first training for the Singapore Grand Prix while Williams of Alex Albon caught fire very early.
Alonso, who recently admitted that 2026 could be his last F1 season, exceeded a training session for the first time this year 0.150 before Leclerc with the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris only fifth and sixth on a track they should dominate.
Max Verstappen finished third by Lewis Hamilton in fourth position, the two pilots less than four tenths from Alonso, but the first practice in Singapore is largely non -representative because it takes place during the day during the hotter temperatures compared to qualifications on Saturday and the race on Sunday evening.
The double world champion Alonso had the advantage of setting his knees later than most of the field, there were therefore better track conditions and may have run less fuel in the car.
Verstappen won the last two F1 races to reduce his deficit to the championship chief from 104 points in early September to 69 points with seven laps to play.
Singapore is the only circuit in the F1 calendar that the Dutchman has not won and Red Bull has generally fought on the Marina Bay Street circuit in recent years.
If they are competitive this weekend, it would mean that an extraordinary return of Verstappen is on the cards, but the second training later Friday will provide a better reading of the hierarchical order.
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Max Verstappen says there is a big gap between him and the McLarens in the driver’s championship and that he does not really think of the title
The recruit Isack Hadjar impressed in seventh without having driven the track before with Carlos Sainz in eighth. However, his teammate from Williams, Alex Albon, did not even finish a flying turn due to a brake problem that caused a long fire.
Ted Kravitz of Sky Sports F1 said: “Williams says it was a material problem on the rear brakes. They had this with Carlos Sainz in Austria, which meant that he could not start the race.
“They don’t think it was a wire brake failure that did not allow the back to slow down the ERS system and led the rear to overheat.
“Williams is convinced that they can solve the problem and get it out for FP2. Not much lost in terms of relevant track conditions, but many losses in terms of attention on the circuit.”
SKY SPORTS F1 GP schedule in Singapore
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Return to some of the most dramatic moments that took place at the Singapore Grand Prix
Friday October 3
11:55 am: F1 Academy Qualifying
12:40 p.m.: Press conference of team directors
1:45 p.m.: Singapore Grand Prix Practice Deux (the session starts at 2 p.m.)
3:15 p.m.: The F1 show
Saturday October 4
7:55 am: F1 Academy Race 1
10:15 am: Singapore Grand Prix Practical three (the session starts at 10:30 am)
1 p.m.: Singapore Grand Prix Construction of qualification
2 p.m.: Singapore Grand Prix Qualification *
4 p.m.: Ted’s what a notebook
Sunday October 5
8:20 am: F1 Academy Race 2
11:30 am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP Build-Up
1 p.m.: The Singapore Grand Prix
3 p.m.: Damy flag: Singapore GP reaction
4 p.m.: Ted notebook
* Also on the main event of Sky Sports
The fight for the title of Formula 1 2025 continues under the lights of the Grand Prix de Singapore this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time
