Singapore Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso fastest from Charles Leclerc in first practice

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso set the pace from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in first practice at the Singapore Grand Prix.

McLaren’s title rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished the session fifth and sixth. Piastri was 0.217 seconds quicker than Norris.

Alonso was 0.150secs ahead of Leclerc and 0.276secs clear of Verstappen. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was fourth fastest.

It is not expected that Aston Martin will be contenders for pole position. However, the team are optimistic of a better weekend on a low-speed track that is more suited to their car, which runs more competitively when high levels of downforce are required.

Two-time champion Alonso is also renowned as a Singapore specialist, and usually excels on the Marina Bay street track. But he was likely running less fuel or a higher engine mode than his rivals, or both, to set such a quick time.