Singapore GP: Norris soars in free practice, Ferraris one second behind

In Singapore, two out of three times the one starting from pole wins, which is enough to give an idea of ​​how important qualifying is on the circuit that first christened – it was 2008 – the night GP. And at 3 pm it will be a battle, with four teams able to fight for pole, a nice habit that Formula 1 has recently introduced after years of sporting dictatorships (first Mercedes, then Red Bull). Four, because after a complicated Friday, even the teams that have shared the last 14 World Championships have signed up to the race for first place. In front, however, remains the McLaren of a super Lando Norris, already the fastest yesterday in the free practice sessions and the only one, this morning, to go under 1’30”. The step backwards of the Ferrari, unable – with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz – to get close to the Englishman’s time. The Monegasque, a specialist on street circuits, finished in fifth place, 9 tenths behind. And he complained: “I have no grip”. We’ll see if the two Rossa drivers will be able to sort out their SF-24s in time to try to take their third pole in a row on this circuit, after those of 2022 (Charles) and 2023 (Carlos, who also won the race).

Well Russell, Hamilton crisis
Faster than Norris this morning was only a monitor lizard, at the center of an amusing unscheduled event. The animal was the first to enter the track in the third free practice session and above all had no intention of leaving, to the point that when the two Aston Martins started to turn the race direction had no choice but to decide to red flag. After ten minutes on the Singapore asphalt and a long chase, a couple of stewards finally managed to capture the monitor lizard, escorting it to safety amid the hilarity of the drivers (for example Daniel Ricciardo) who were following from the pits. The only one to threaten the McLarens, for the moment, was George Russell, second ahead of the other papaya-colored single-seater of Oscar Piastri, fresh from the victory in Baku with the controversial rear wing (a sort of “mini Drs”) that the FIA ​​has invited to modify for the following races. While Max Verstappen and Red Bull have shown signs of awakening (4th time), Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties continue: seeing his time on the scoreboard after the finish line, more than a second behind the leader, the seven-time world champion let himself go with a gesture of annoyance. It’s understandable.