F1 Singapore GP: George Russell Leads Mercedes 1-2? No, Beats Leclerc to Top FP1 Times

Singapore, October 9, 2026: George Russell topped the timesheets for Mercedes in the sole free practice session of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.198 seconds at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. McLaren’s Lando Norris finished third as the leading contenders prepared for a weekend featuring the final Sprint of the 2026 season.

Russell set the fastest lap of 1:32.274 on Soft tyres, with Leclerc recording a 1:32.472 and Norris completing the top three in 1:32.547. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was sixth and the quickest driver on Medium tyres.

With the Sprint format allowing teams just one hour of practice, drivers were quick to take to the track when the session began at 16:30 local time. Track temperatures reached 53°C, considerably warmer than the conditions expected for Sprint Qualifying and the Grand Prix, both scheduled to take place at night.

Russell Sets the Pace as Teams Assess Marina Bay Conditions

Most drivers began the session on Hard tyres as they evaluated grip levels around the dusty and bumpy Marina Bay Street Circuit. Russell reported a stiff ride over the circuit’s bumps, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll ventured into the escape road at Turn 1. Norris also ran off the track at Turn 16 during the early stages.

As the track surface improved, Norris established an early benchmark of 1:34.367 around the 15-minute mark. Leclerc subsequently became the first driver to break the 1:34 barrier, posting a 1:33.969 before Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli moved to the top with a 1:33.830.

Norris had another moment at Turn 9, taking to the run-off after a close encounter with the barriers. However, the session’s main interruption came with approximately 20 minutes remaining when Nico Hülkenberg stopped near the pit exit.

The Audi driver reported a gearbox problem over team radio, prompting a brief Virtual Safety Car period while his car was recovered to the pit lane. Hülkenberg completed 16 laps, the lowest total of any driver, and finished the session in 18th position.

Russell Edges Leclerc in Late Soft-Tyre Shootout

Teams continued their longer runs before switching to Soft tyres for qualifying simulations during the closing stages. Russell was among the first to make the change and immediately moved to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 1:32.864.

Piastri came close to the Mercedes driver, finishing just 0.034 seconds behind on his initial Soft-tyre attempt. Leclerc, meanwhile, abandoned his first flying lap after encountering traffic at Turn 5.

Hamilton briefly moved into first place with a 1:32.821, but Russell responded with another improvement inside the final five minutes to secure the fastest time of the session at 1:32.274.

Leclerc’s final effort earned him second place, 0.198 seconds behind Russell, while Norris finished third, 0.273 seconds off the pace. Hamilton ended fourth with a 1:32.773, 0.499 seconds behind the session leader, as Piastri completed the top five in 1:32.838.

Verstappen was sixth with a 1:33.006 on Medium tyres, finishing 0.519 seconds ahead of Antonelli. The Mercedes rookie ended seventh with a 1:33.525 after running deep at Turn 16 on his final attempt.

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar secured eighth place, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, who completed the top 10.

Midfield Battle and Lower-Order Results

Haas driver Oliver Bearman finished 11th, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and Haas team-mate Esteban Ocon. Fernando Alonso was 14th for Aston Martin, while Williams driver Carlos Sainz finished 15th after completing a session-high 31 laps.

Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto placed 16th, ahead of Williams’ Alexander Albon in 17th. Hülkenberg followed in 18th after his gearbox-related stoppage, with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto 19th.

Stroll finished 20th, ahead of Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, who completed the 22-car classification.

F1 Singapore Grand Prix: What Comes Next?

The opening practice session provided teams with their only opportunity to evaluate the Marina Bay circuit before Sprint Qualifying, making the limited running particularly important for setup decisions and tyre preparation.

Russell’s pace put Mercedes in a strong position heading into the competitive sessions, although the significant difference between daytime practice temperatures and the cooler conditions expected at night could alter the competitive picture.

Ferrari and McLaren also demonstrated promising pace, with Leclerc, Norris, Hamilton and Piastri all finishing within 0.564 seconds of Russell. Verstappen’s sixth-place result came on Medium tyres, leaving Red Bull with further performance to assess ahead of Sprint Qualifying.

With the final Sprint of the 2026 season adding another competitive session to the Singapore weekend, the battle for track position and tyre performance will be crucial around the tight, demanding street circuit.

2026 FIA Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix – Free Practice Results