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Hamilton could face grid penalty
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is under investigation for a potential red flag infringement in the final practice session, which was stopped after RacingBulls driver Liam Lawson crashed. Stewards are looking at whether Hamilton sped up through a chicane while under the red flag; if found guilty, he will face a grid penalty on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton in final practice. Photograph: Fazry Ismail/EPALiam Lawson crashes, leading to a red flag. Photograph: Xavi Bonilla/DPPI/ShutterstockSharePreamble
Max Verstappen is muscling his way back into the title race after winning the last two grands prix – but to really turn up the heat on Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, he needs to do something he’s never done before in his F1 career: win in Singapore.
Marina Bay is the only circuit on the current calendar he is yet to conquer; doing so this weekend would send a strong statement across the pit lane to his McLaren rivals. After setting the fastest time in today’s final practice – a slender 0.017sec ahead of Piastri with Norris fifth – the defending champion knows today’s qualifying could be pivotal.
Singapore is one of the calendar’s best races for pole-sitters, with 10 of the 15 official grands prix won by the driver who topped qualifying – including Norris last year. Verstappen has never taken pole position here, either; Red Bull will hope that one piece of history will follow another this weekend. Qualifying begins at 2pm (BST).