In what is supposed to be Red Bull’s best chance of a second Grand Prix victory this season, both of their drivers backed up this claim and showed strong pace in the opening practice session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit as Max Verstappen topped the timesheets ahead of teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
Just 0.049s separated the duo who will be hoping to add to their respective race win tally of three and one respectively.
Four-time Singapore Grand Prix winner Sebastian Vettel was third fastest for Ferrari, 0.464s off Verstappen’s benchmark.
Both Mercedes opted to set their fastest times on the hardest compound of tyre available, the yellow-marked softs. Lewis Hamilton led teammate Nico Rosberg in fourth and fifth. Rosberg crashed at Turn 18, damaging only the front wing of his Mercedes.
Toro Rosso will be encouraged with their showing in FP1 as Carlos Sainz was an impressive seventh fastest whilst Daniil Kvyat was in eighth albeit seven-tenths off his teammate’s best time. Williams’ Felipe Massa and Haas’ Esteban Gutierrez rounded out the top 10.
Fernando Alonso was 11th fastest but it was not plain sailing for the other McLaren of Jenson Button. The 2009 World Champion’s McLaren came to a halt early on. Button was able to get out again later on in the session and ended the session in 16th.
The second Haas of Romain Grosjean was unable to set any laps during FP1 due to a possible leak which the team are currently investigating.
