Red Bull Shows Signs of Recovery as Alonso Tops Singapore Practise
Singapore – Fernando Alonso set the pace in opening practice for the Singapore Grand Prix, signaling a potential resurgence for Red Bull racing despite a challenging recent stretch. The Aston Martin driver’s fastest FP1 lap, while influenced by varying engine modes and fuel loads, highlighted a promising setup for the car.Elsewhere, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson and Mercedes’ Kimi antonelli also provided notable performances during the disrupted practice sessions.
The strong showing from Alonso, coupled with encouraging signs from other drivers, arrives as Red Bull seeks to regain its dominant form after recent setbacks. The team’s performance has been under scrutiny following Max Verstappen’s rare defeat in the Netherlands and a subsequent strategic misstep in Italy. Singapore’s tight, twisty circuit presents a unique challenge, potentially leveling the playing field and offering red Bull an opportunity to capitalize on a favorable car setup. The practice results suggest the team is actively addressing its recent issues and could be poised to challenge for victory this weekend.
FP2 saw Racing Bulls driver Jak Crawford post the second-fastest time,prompting questions about the contribution of driver skill versus car performance. Analysts noted Crawford was “relishing threading the responsive Racing Bulls between the walls,” indicating a strong connection with the car. mercedes’ Antonelli was the sole driver to attempt a full race simulation,sacrificing a qualifying simulation due to red flag disruptions. He briefly held the quickest middle sector time before a red flag ended his attempt.
Complications arose during FP2 with multiple incidents. George Russell brought out the first red flag after damaging his Mercedes’ nose in Turn 16,though he reported the car felt improved compared to FP1. A subsequent pit lane collision involving Ferrari and mclaren further disrupted running.
Ferrari, with its compliant chassis and strong low-speed acceleration, appears well-suited to the Singapore circuit. Both Charles leclerc and Lewis Hamilton demonstrated flashes of pace, though hamilton’s session was hampered by a wall impact at Turn 14 and Leclerc experienced a notable moment on his fastest lap. The Ferrari appeared challenging to control on push laps, but setup adjustments are expected to address these issues.
