Singapore – Free Practice 1: Alonso Ahead of the Mercedes Between Dog and Wolf

The sky darkens as the free practice sessions for the Singapore Grand Prix approach. No reserve driver will take to the track for these FP1, logically on such a complicated circuit.

The session is underway! Max Chilton is the first on track, followed by most of the drivers who soon engage in their installation laps. Nico Rosberg, on his first lap, experiences a small technical issue: he loses his mirror, which he decides to remove and throw near a marshal’s post. His teammate is the first to post lap times: 1:51.934 for Lewis Hamilton, who is already pushing hard, just like Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg a few moments later. The championship leader takes the lead of the session with 1:51.640, complaining about a problem with the gear shifts in his gearbox.

Kimi Räikkönen takes the lead with a time of 1:51.269, but Rosberg improves by two-tenths. Jules Bianchi and Kamui Kobayashi get caught out at the same place, resulting in a spin for the Japanese driver. Esteban Gutierrez appears to be suffering from a major issue with his Sauber, which is on stands with the undertray removed. Vettel positions himself at the top of the timesheets shortly before the end of the first half-hour of these FP1. At McLaren, work is being done at the rear of Jenson Button’s car: it seems urgent, as the driver is no longer in the garage.

After 30 minutes, Vettel leads Alonso, Rosberg, Räikkönen, and Ricciardo. The two Mercedes cars are alone on the track. Rosberg, meanwhile, sets a new fastest time with 1:49.205. As his race engineer informs him of his position, the German interrupts and asks not to be notified of this information. Hamilton improves his teammate’s time by 27 thousandths. And after having the track to themselves for almost 10 minutes, they are joined by Marcus Ericsson.

The dance of long stints has begun, interspersed with performance runs. Some drivers are taking risks: Vettel and Maldonado, in particular, are close to the walls. The German is gradually getting closer to the two Mercedes cars, with a time seven-tenths off Hamilton; he ends up touching the wall just before heading back to the pits for a check. As for the Williams team, the track is not ideal, and it shows in the timings.

After one hour, Hamilton leads ahead of Rosberg, Vettel, Ricciardo, and Alonso. The Spaniard sets the best time a few moments later, just over a tenth ahead of the Mercedes. Jean-Eric Vergne asks his engineer if drivers—in general—improve in the final sector, to which his engineer prefers not to risk responding. This benefits him as he sets the 5th provisional time.

While at Lotus, Romain Grosjean’s car is undergoing winglet changes, Rosberg runs a bit wide at turn 7. At the end of the pit lane, Vergne’s Toro Rosso comes to a stop, forcing the mechanics to intervene. The Frenchman asks for medication—which isn’t a code as he grabs a blister pack in his cockpit before getting out to end his session. On Ferrari’s side, Räikkönen returns to the pits with the right front brake on fire.

Thus, it’s the end of the session with the best time for Fernando Alonso ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. After crossing the checkered flag, Sebastian Vettel comes to a stop right at the end of the pit lane: he reports a potential engine issue over the radio. We will see if this will penalize the rest of his weekend.