Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc led the way during the opening practice session for Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Leclerc posted a time of 1:31.763s during the one-hour daytime session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit to beat McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.076s.
Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate, Carlos Sainz, was third-best, while championship leader Max Verstappen was fourth-fastest at the only circuit on the calendar where he has yet to take a race victory.
RB enjoyed a strong session, with Yuki Tsunoda fifth, and Daniel Ricciardo seventh, sandwiching McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Last weekend’s race winner Piastri had a scruffy session by his standards, with his entry onto the circuit slightly delayed after McLaren noted a problem with his right-rear during pre-session pit stop practice.
Piastri then ran wide through Turn 10 and brushed the wall, though was able to continue without damage, but his best lap left him over half a second down on team-mate Norris.
Alex Albon underlined Williams’ improvements as he finished eighth.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon rounded out the top 10 in a session which had little in the way of incident or drama.
Albon’s Williams team-mate Franco Colapinto was 11th, just 0.003s behind Ocon, as he got his first taste of the wall-lined venue.
Lewis Hamilton complained of understeer en route to a low-key 12th as the lead Mercedes driver, with team-mate George Russell further back in 16th spot.
Sergio Perez was one of the few drivers to find the run-off early in the session, before winding up in 14th place, while Kevin Magnussen returned to action after his enforced one-event hiatus and classified 17th for Haas.
READ MORE: F1 2024 Singapore Grand Prix – FP1 Results
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