Printable Page
09/20 05:34 CDT Verstappen fastest in first practice for Singapore GP
Verstappen fastest in first practice for Singapore GP
By JIM ARMSTRONG
AP Sports Writer
SINGAPORE (AP) --- Red Bull driver Max Verstappen posted the fastest time in
Friday's first practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Verstappen was 0.167 seconds quicker than Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel while
championship leader Lewis Hamilton was third fastest.
Mercedes driver Hamilton heads into Sunday's night race with a 63-point lead
over teammate Valtteri Bottas, who was fourth fastest.
Bottas hit the wall at the exit of Turn 19, bringing out the red flag with 25
minutes left in the session.
The 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) Marina Bay street circuit is one of the hardest
tracks for overtaking in F1, so whoever takes pole on Saturday will have the
upper hand. The driver leading the field has won eight times in the past 10
years.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who won the previous two races, had problems
shifting gears through Turns 18 and 19. He was able to coast back to the pit
lane --- where his car was retrieved by Ferrari mechanics --- but did not
return to the track and finished 19th.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
|
