After a short break due to a lizard on a reconnaissance tour, McLaren driver Lando Norris secured the best time in the final practice session for the Formula 1 race in Singapore. The Englishman set the fastest lap on the Marina Bay Street Circuit in 1:29.646 minutes. Max Verstappen’s closest rival in the World Championship relegated George Russell in the Mercedes to second place (+0.479 seconds).
Third in the last one-hour practice session before qualifying, which, like the race, is held at night under floodlights, was Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri (+0.785 seconds). Nico Hülkenberg in the Haas was 12th.
A few minutes after the track was cleared, the drivers were forced to wait again because a lizard was crawling across the asphalt of the street circuit. The red flags were waved and marshals then chased the animal off the track. In the past, free-roaming reptiles have caused delays on the track in Southeast Asia.
Things went much better for world champion Verstappen in the final practice session than the day before. The world championship leader finished fourth. “The car is much better,” commented the Dutchman, whose car had had considerable problems with the curbs and bumps on the street circuit, especially in the second practice session.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240921-930-239087/1
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