Norris emphatically quickest in final practice after lizard disrupts session

Lando Norris heads into qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix as the likely favourite for pole after setting the quickest time in final practice.

Oscar Piastri was third fastest, a tenth ahead of Max Verstappen and the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr.

The weekend’s final practice session got off to a quiet start, with only the two Aston Martin drivers heading out for two slow laps to scrub in a set of medium and hard tyres each. But at one stage it seemed fastest thing on track was a lizard, which appeared on the circuit at the final corner.

The lizard’s insistence on remaining in the middle of the road caused race control to suspend the session with a red flag so marshals could rescue the track invader, much to the amusement of drivers watching on. The session resumed soon afterwards, with most of the field taking to the track for the first time.

Piastri set the initial pace in his McLaren on his medium tyres with a 1’32.957, a couple of tenths quicker than the two Mercedes drivers, Russell and Lewis Hamilton. But Verstappen and Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez moved to the top of the times with their first efforts on mediums.

Drivers were pushing the limits harder in the final practice session than Friday. Pierre Gasly almost slid into the barriers at turn 11 before the bridge after catching a snap of oversteer on entry, while Russell had to spin-turn his Mercedes after running down the escape road at turn 14. Alexander Albon appeared to suffer a front left puncture after clipping the wall, causing him to recover slowly back to the pit lane.

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Ferrari moved to the top of the times with Leclerc and Sainz both quicker than Verstappen, but the pace was still a second slower than the best from Friday. That was until Russell headed out on soft tyres and posted easily the best time of the weekend with a 1’30.125. Neither Piastri, Hamilton or Verstappen could match Russell’s effort, until Norris easily bested it but almost half a second to make a statement of intent heading into qualifying.

That would prove the best time of the hour, leaving Norris as the quickest driver for the second consecutive session heading into qualifying. Russell was half a second off in second ahead of Piastri, Verstappen and the two Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz. Leclerc told his team he “just had no grip” after his quickest lap.

Hamilton was seventh with the Williams drivers, Albon and Franco Colapinto, continuing to show promise in eighth and ninth, respectively. Fernando Alonso was the final driver inside the top ten, while Perez was down in 15th place in the second Red Bull.

After the chequered flag flew, race control noted an incident involving Perez and Norris for impeding, however, they later announced no further investigation was necessary.

2024 Singapore Grand Prix third practice result

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2024 Singapore Grand Prix

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