Leclerc second, Hamilton fourth for Ferrari in Singapore GP's only free practice
Charles Leclerc was second-fastest and Lewis Hamilton fourth-fastest as Scuderia Ferrari HP ran its SF-26s in the single free practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.
- 52
- 1'32"472
- 1'32"773
- 16
What Happened
Scuderia Ferrari HP recorded the second-fastest time with Charles Leclerc and the fourth-fastest with Lewis Hamilton in the only free practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay circuit. Both SF-26s began the session on Hard tyres, with Leclerc completing 16 laps, one fewer than Hamilton. Leclerc's best time on that compound was a 1'33"864, while Hamilton posted a 1'34"383, and both drivers also completed longer runs. In the closing stages of the session they went out on Soft tyres to set their best times.
- 1'33"864 on Hard tyres; 1'32"472 on Soft tyres
- 1'34"383 on Hard tyres; 1'32"773 on Soft tyres
52laps
Leclerc and Hamilton each completed 26 laps in the single free practice session at Marina Bay.
- Both SF-26s started the session on Hard tyres.
- Leclerc completed 16 laps on Hard tyres, one fewer than Hamilton.
- Leclerc's best Soft-tyre lap was 1'32"472; Hamilton's was 1'32"773.
- The two drivers combined for 52 laps, 26 each.
The session was Ferrari's only free practice running before the rest of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend at Marina Bay. Ferrari reported that Leclerc and Hamilton used the Hard compound first, added longer runs, and then switched to Softs at the end to attack the timesheet. The result placed Leclerc second and Hamilton fourth.
Previously from Ferrari N.V.
Ahead of the weekend, Charles Leclerc said Ferrari must take nothing for granted at the Singapore Grand Prix, where pace that looks good on paper has often failed to translate into results this season. Lewis Hamilton said preparation matters more than ever at Marina Bay, where teams get only one practice session before Sprint Qualifying.
- Leclerc urges Ferrari caution at Singapore Grand Prix: 'This is a special track'
- Hamilton says Singapore's single practice session and Sprint format make preparation key for Ferrari
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ferrari N.V.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Ferrari ended the only practice session of the Singapore weekend with both cars inside the top four, an early read on where the SF-26s stand at the Marina Bay circuit. Because teams get just this one session before the rest of the weekend, the running done here shapes preparation for the sessions that follow.
Terms in This Story
- Free practice
- Timed on-track sessions before qualifying and the race where teams test car setups and tyre choices; practice results do not count towards the race outcome.
- Hard tyres
- The hardest compound in a tyre range, built to last longer but generally slower over a single lap than softer options.
- Soft tyres
- The softest compound in a tyre range, offering the most grip and fastest single-lap times but wearing out more quickly.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.