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Max Verstappen set the third fastest time during the first free practice for the Singapore Grand Prix. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were faster than the Dutchman. Although they were not the eye-catchers of the first free training.
Last Sunday, after the race in Monza, Verstappen already expressed the expectation that Ferrari could perform well in Singapore. At least that was the case during the first training.
Leclerc lapped in 1.33.350, making him just under eight hundredths of a second faster than his teammate Sainz. Verstappen set the third fastest time, just over a tenth behind Leclerc. Lando Norris, with a significantly updated McLaren, and Lewis Hamilton also stayed within two-tenths of Leclerc’s time.
Correct adjustment
Verstappen was still looking for the right setting in Singapore. The track will also change a bit over the weekend and become faster as there is more rubber on the asphalt. Verstappen suffered from some oversteer, especially in the initial phase on the hard tire.
During the session, Verstappen also encountered a lizard on the track, which briefly caused a yellow flag situation in the second sector. “A smaller one this time,” said a laughing World Cup leader over the on-board radio, referring to the lizard he encountered in Singapore in 2016. “Maybe Godzilla has had a child,” race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase responded succinctly.
It didn’t stop there, because a lizard walked on the track twice more in the final phase. This resulted in a yellow flag situation again both times.