{
  "id": 13082738,
  "title": "F1 Singapore GP: George Russell on top, Max Verstappen sets impressive lap",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/f1-singapore-gp-george-russell-on-top-max-verstappen-sets-impressive",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T09:43:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Motorsport.com",
    "slug": "motorsport-com",
    "url": "https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-singapore-gp-fp1-report/10863286/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "George Russell led the pack in the first Formula 1 practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap of the event. However, Max Verstappen managed to beat him by half a second on medium tyres. The session took place under unrepresentative conditions – a scorching track temperature of 53 degrees Celsius – making it difficult to fully gauge the performance for upcoming qualifying and the night race. All drivers, except for the Cadillacs, started the session on hard tyres and sprinted to set their best times. Kimi Antonelli topped the medium-tyre running with a time of 1 minute and 33.830 seconds, leaving Ferrari's Charles Leclerc just 0.034 seconds and Mercedes' George Russell 0.056 seconds behind. Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Lewis Hamilton followed within 0.6 seconds of the benchmark. Only five drivers ran the softer compound, including Russell, who dominated on soft tyres with a time of 1 minute and 32.274 seconds – two-tenths quicker than Leclerc and Norris, and half a second faster than Hamilton and Piastri. Verstappen was sixth with a 1 minute and 33.006-second lap on medium tyres. After the session, Hulkenberg, driving for Audi, had to be pulled into the pit lane due to gearbox issues, indicating a potential mechanical failure.",
  "summary": "George Russell was fastest in the only free practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix. Max Verstappen was half a second quicker than anyone else on medium tyres. The session was held in unrepresentative conditions, with a track temperature of 53C.\n\nThe Singapore Grand Prix is being held as a sprint weekend, with only one practice session before sprint qualifying. The Marina Bay circuit is a street circuit that requires braking confidence, traction, and precision. According to Motorsport.com, temperatures are forecast to exceed 31 degrees, putting extra pressure on the drivers.\n\nKimi Antonelli will run the new Mercedes car specification at the Singapore Grand Prix, while his teammate George Russell will revert to the old package to allow for a direct comparison. Antonelli said it could be \"a challenge\" on the slow and twisty Marina Bay Circuit. Russell is starting from the back of the grid due to a penalty for taking a new power unit.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Russell to go 'all-out' ahead of unusual Singapore daylight sprint as Antonelli nears F1 title",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/russell-to-go-all-out-ahead-of-unusual-singapore-daylight-sprint-as",
        "published": "2026-10-09T06:51:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Russell to go ‘all-out’ ahead of unusual Singapore daylight sprint as Antonelli nears F1 title",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/russell-to-go-all-out-ahead-of-unusual-singapore-daylight-sprint-as-13083913",
        "published": "2026-10-09T09:44:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SB Nation",
        "title": "Who takes F1 Sprint pole at the Singapore Grand Prix?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/who-takes-f1-sprint-pole-at-the-singapore-grand-prix-13097865",
        "published": "2026-10-09T10:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}