Defending Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton rebounded from a pair of sub-par performances in Belgium and Italy to dominate the first two practices of the weekend’s upcoming 2019 Singapore Grand Prix.
Hamilton was fastest for his F1-leading Mercedes team – a mere 0.184 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen [himself recovering from a pair of poor performances in Belgium and Italy] – but far ahead of Verstappen in simulated longer race pace. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was third – 0.818 seconds off Hamilton’s pace – as the Mercedes handles the numerous corners and turns of the Marina Bay track more deftly than the Ferraris.
Hamilton’s Mercedes’ teammate, Valtteri Bottas was fourth – a whopping 1.121 seconds behind Hamilton – and crashed in the first practice, to boot. Red Bull’s Alexander Albon in fifth, joined Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in sixth as the only drivers to have a realistic shot at the victory this weekend.
McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, Jr. edged Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg as the best of the rest.