George Russell set the fastest time in the only practice session ahead of the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, putting Mercedes ahead of Ferrari and McLaren as teams prepare for the final Sprint weekend of the Formula 1 season.
George Russell led the field in Free Practice 1 at the Singapore Grand Prix, beating Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris in a closely contested session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Friday, October 9.
The Mercedes driver recorded a fastest lap of 1:32.274, finishing 0.198 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Leclerc, while McLaren’s Norris ended the session third, just 0.273 seconds off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton placed fourth for Ferrari, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished seventh in the second Mercedes.
The result gave Mercedes an encouraging start to the weekend, although differences in tyre choice and car specifications mean the practice times do not tell the complete story.
RUSSELL SETS THE PACE ON THE SOFT TYRES
With only one hour of practice available before Sprint Qualifying, teams wasted little time getting their cars onto the track. The session began at 16:30 local time, with drivers immediately working to understand the circuit’s grip levels, kerbs and notoriously bumpy surface.
The opening running took place under dusty and less-than-ideal track conditions. Most drivers initially used Pirelli’s hard-compound tyres, concentrating on gathering data and assessing their car setups.
Russell reported that his Mercedes felt particularly stiff as the car bounced over the uneven street circuit. Lance Stroll also ventured into the run-off area at Turn 1, while Norris ran wide at Turn 16.
As the track improved, lap times gradually fell. Norris initially set the benchmark at 1:34.367 before Leclerc became the first driver to break the 1:34 barrier with a 1:33.969.
Antonelli subsequently lowered the benchmark to 1:33.830, demonstrating that Mercedes had competitive pace even before the soft tyres came into play.
Norris then had a close call at Turn 9, running towards the escape area while pushing to improve his lap time.
HULKENBERG SUFFERS A GEARBOX PROBLEM
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg became the most significant casualty of the session when he reported a gearbox problem over team radio.
The German pulled over near the pit-lane exit after warning the team that something had gone wrong with the transmission. His Audi was subsequently recovered and rolled back into the pits under a brief Virtual Safety Car period.
The incident cost Hulkenberg valuable track time, particularly important during a weekend in which the teams have no second practice session to compensate for lost running.
Meanwhile, the remaining drivers continued gathering data on the hard tyres before switching their attention to qualifying simulations.
The transition to softer tyres produced a significant improvement in lap times as drivers began pushing harder around the narrow barriers of Marina Bay.
HAMILTON BRIEFLY TAKES THE LEAD BEFORE RUSSELL STRIKES
Russell was among the first drivers to switch to the soft-compound tyres for a qualifying simulation. He immediately moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1:32.864.
Piastri came close to matching the Mercedes driver’s effort, finishing just 0.034 seconds behind that initial benchmark. Leclerc, meanwhile, aborted his first flying lap after complaining about being impeded at Turn 5.
Hamilton subsequently took over at the top with a 1:32.821, briefly putting Ferrari ahead of its rivals.
Russell responded in the closing minutes, delivering a 1:32.274 to reclaim first place. The time proved unbeatable, leaving the Briton comfortably ahead of Leclerc and Norris when the chequered flag fell.
The result was particularly noteworthy given that Russell is facing a challenging weekend for reasons extending well beyond outright speed.
MERCEDES SPLITS ITS CAR SPECIFICATIONS
Mercedes arrived in Singapore with technical questions to answer following a difficult weekend at the previous round in Malaysia.
The team introduced an updated package there but struggled to achieve the expected performance gains. Rather than running identical specifications at Marina Bay, Mercedes opted for a split approach to help evaluate its recent development work.
Russell used an older specification of the W17, while Antonelli continued with the newer update package.
The comparison is intended to help the team understand whether the latest changes are delivering the intended benefits and establish the best direction for the remaining races.
Russell’s fastest time offers an encouraging early indication that the older configuration remains competitive. However, one practice session is not enough to establish which specification has the stronger overall performance, especially on a street circuit where track evolution and tyre preparation can significantly influence lap times.
Antonelli’s seventh-place finish also requires context. The Italian did not use the soft tyres for his fastest effort, meaning his final position does not provide a direct comparison with Russell’s qualifying simulation.
Verstappen was in a similar situation, setting his best time on the medium compound rather than the softs. The Red Bull driver therefore finished sixth without carrying out the same type of final-lap attempt as several of the cars ahead.
RUSSELL FACES A GRID PENALTY DESPITE HIS STRONG PACE
Russell’s fastest time comes against the backdrop of a significant setback in his championship campaign.
The Mercedes driver is expected to start Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix from the back of the grid after taking additional power-unit components following his retirement in Malaysia. His previous engine failure occurred while he was running in a potential podium position, costing him valuable championship points.
The penalty applies to Sunday’s Grand Prix rather than Saturday’s Sprint, giving Russell an opportunity to fight for points in the shorter race without the same grid setback.
Nevertheless, Singapore presents a particularly difficult location for a recovery drive. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is a narrow, demanding street track, and overtaking can be challenging when cars run at similar speeds.
Russell’s pace in FP1 is therefore an encouraging sign, but the more important question is whether Mercedes can translate that speed into a competitive result across the Sprint and Grand Prix.
For Antonelli, the weekend offers another opportunity to strengthen his championship position. The Italian arrived in Singapore with an 84-point advantage over his Mercedes team-mate, adding another layer of importance to the team’s efforts to resolve its recent performance concerns.
SINGAPORE’S SPRINT FORMAT LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR
The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix is the 17th round of the season and the first time the Marina Bay Street Circuit has hosted a Sprint event.
It is also the final Sprint weekend of the 2026 campaign. Under this format, Friday’s sole practice session is followed by Sprint Qualifying later in the evening, leaving teams with limited time to analyse their data and make setup decisions.
The 4.927-kilometre circuit features 19 corners and will host a 21-lap Sprint on Saturday before the main Grand Prix takes place over 62 laps on Sunday.
The lack of additional practice time makes every lap particularly valuable. Teams must balance long-run preparation, tyre evaluation, energy management and outright qualifying pace within a tightly compressed schedule.
With Mercedes showing encouraging speed, Ferrari placing both cars inside the top four and McLaren keeping both drivers within the top five, the opening session suggests that several teams could be competitive.
However, the mixed tyre programmes mean the competitive picture remains incomplete. Sprint Qualifying will provide the first clearer indication of the relative pace when drivers are required to deliver under competitive conditions.
FULL FP1 RESULTS – 2026 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
Sprint Qualifying is scheduled for 20:30 local time on Friday, October 9, with the 21-lap Sprint following on Saturday at 17:00. Grand Prix qualifying takes place later on Saturday at 21:00, ahead of Sunday’s 62-lap race at 20:00 local time.
Russell may have topped the opening session, but the real challenge begins now. Mercedes must determine whether its older car specification can maintain its advantage, while Ferrari and McLaren will look to close the gap under more representative competitive conditions.
What do you think? Can Russell turn his FP1 pace into Sprint points and a strong recovery drive on Sunday, or will Ferrari and McLaren take control at Marina Bay? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Adhe is part of the 88 Eight Box Editorial Team, covering JDM culture, motorsport, automotive technology, and industry news. The team focuses on delivering original automotive stories, reviews, and insights for enthusiasts worldwide.
