The first free practice session on the Singapore track is traditionally considered the least indicative of the season. The session takes place in daylight, even though the race itself is held at night, and the surface remains slippery and unpredictable. In such conditions, driver experience and skill come to the fore, as clearly demonstrated by Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard finished the practice with the fastest time, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, who are usually strong in challenging conditions and on short runs.
However, it’s too early to draw conclusions about the balance of power. Such results at the start of the weekend don’t guarantee further success. Nevertheless, it is noticeable that the AMR25 under Alonso’s control is performing more consistently than in previous rounds. If the pace holds in the second practice, the Spaniard could be in contention for top positions in the race.
The McLaren team also found itself in the spotlight. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished fourth and fifth, but struggled with handling issues. Understeer was particularly evident, and Piastri even brushed the wall during a run on soft tires. Despite this, there’s a chance their car will perform better under nighttime conditions, when track temperatures drop. While McLaren was expected to dominate in Singapore, the fight for the lead promises to be intense, and Verstappen could join the battle.
Carlos Sainz finished the practice session in eighth place, working mostly on the medium compound tires. He showed good pace on the hard tires and then topped the timesheets on mediums, but later lost positions to rivals who switched to softer rubber. Overall, Sainz was satisfied with the car’s balance. His teammate Alex Albon faced technical issues: due to a fire on the right rear brake, he had to end the session early. This was especially unfortunate on a street circuit, where building confidence is crucial.
Alonso led the pack for a while on his first set of medium tires, while most other drivers started the session on hards. The Spaniard quickly adapted to the ‘green’ track and was already posting rapid laps by his second circuit, whereas Norris needed about twenty minutes to get close to the leaders. In the final phase of the session, Alonso returned to first place after completing 11 laps on Pirelli’s yellow tires. Sainz, after switching from hards to mediums, briefly overtook Alonso but then dropped back from the top. Early in the session, Alonso was nearly a second faster than Lance Stroll, highlighting his confidence and determination for a successful weekend.
