Alonso Tops Singapore GP Practice as Albon's Williams Catches Fire

Fernando Alonso led the first practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix, a rare daytime outing that saw Aston Martin's veteran driver ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The session was notably disrupted by a dramatic brake fire on Alex Albon's Williams car early on, forcing the team into a rapid repair effort.

Why it matters:

• Alonso's resurgence: After recent discussions about his potential retirement in 2026, Alonso's pace in practice suggests Aston Martin might be finding their rhythm, topping a session for the first time this year.
• Unusual Red Bull struggle: Singapore remains the only circuit where Max Verstappen has not won, and Red Bull has historically faced challenges here. If they perform well this weekend, it could signal an extraordinary comeback in the championship race.
• Williams' reliability concerns: The brake fire on Albon's car highlights potential reliability issues that could hamper their weekend, especially in crucial qualifying and race sessions.

The Details:

• Alonso's unexpected lead: Fernando Alonso set the fastest time, ahead of Charles Leclerc. This marks his first time topping a practice session this season.
• McLaren's underperformance: Despite expectations for McLaren to perform strongly on the street circuit, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished fifth and sixth respectively.
• Verstappen and Hamilton's positions: Max Verstappen secured third place, followed by Lewis Hamilton in fourth. However, the daytime conditions of FP1 often make it unrepresentative of the true pecking order for the night qualifying and race sessions.
• Albon's fiery incident: Alex Albon's Williams suffered a significant brake issue, leading to a lengthy fire that prevented him from completing a flying lap. Williams confirmed it was a 'hardware problem on the rear brakes,' similar to an issue Carlos Sainz faced in Austria.
  • Team confidence: Despite the setback, Williams expressed confidence in fixing the problem to get Albon back on track for FP2. While Albon lost valuable track time to get acquainted with the circuit, the team noted that FP1 conditions are less relevant for the nighttime events.
• Rookie performance: Isack Hadjar, who had never driven the track before, impressed by finishing seventh, with Carlos Sainz in eighth.

The Big Picture:

Max Verstappen has been on a charge, winning the last two F1 races and significantly reducing his championship deficit to 69 points with seven rounds remaining. His performance in Singapore, a circuit where Red Bull has historically struggled, will be a key indicator of his title aspirations. The true competitive landscape will become clearer in later practice sessions and particularly during qualifying.

What's next:

• Second Practice (FP2): Later today, FP2 will offer a more accurate representation of the teams' true performance, as it takes place under conditions closer to qualifying and the race.
• F1 Academy: Qualifying and Race 1 for F1 Academy are also scheduled, adding to the weekend's motorsport action.
• Qualifying and Race: The Singapore Grand Prix continues with qualifying on Saturday and the main race on Sunday, both under lights.

The 2025 Formula 1 title fight intensifies under the lights at the Singapore Grand Prix, promising a thrilling weekend for F1 enthusiasts.