F1 in Singapore: Alonso leads free practice 1; Bortoleto ends 17th with Sauber

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin driver, led the first free practice session of the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Marina Bay circuit. The Spaniard set a time of 1m31s116, beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in a session marking Formula 1’s return to Asia after the European leg. The event, the 18th round of the season, took place under high heat, with temperatures above 31°C, highlighting close competition among teams.

Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, driving for Sauber, finished 17th with a 1m32s lap, starting 19th on hard tires and climbing to 16th on softs before dropping one spot. The 60-minute session saw gradual tire compound changes, with most opting for hards early on.

The 4.94-km, 19-turn Marina Bay street circuit demands precision under lights, and the daytime session aided initial setups.

• Alonso took the lead at 15 minutes with medium tires, posting 1m32s054.
• Leclerc briefly led with softs, but Alonso overtook him by 0.150s.
• Verstappen, third, focused on race-pace simulations.

📻 "I'm seeing what Hulkenberg is doing…"

A bit of a close call between Nico and Carlos Sainz to kick off the weekend! 👀#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/vedfzGGn6u

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 3, 2025

Session evolution by tire compounds

Hard tires dominated the opening 15 minutes, with Verstappen leading and Lewis Hamilton, now at Ferrari, in second. Teams tested grip on Marina Bay’s uneven asphalt.

Drivers like McLaren’s Oscar Piastri set competitive times on hards, setting up transitions. Strategies aimed at gathering data for the night race on Sunday.

With medium tires, Alonso and Williams’ Carlos Sainz lowered times, heating up the midfield battle. Lando Norris briefly led with white-walled hards before the switch.

Bortoleto’s performance in Asian debut

Gabriel Bortoleto started with hard tires, posting the 19th time while adapting to the tight track. The 20-year-old prioritized installation laps to navigate the challenging layout.

On soft tires in the final minutes, he improved to 16th but dropped to 17th after a disrupted lap. Sauber focused on aerodynamic setups for better traction in low-speed corners.

Bortoleto completed 22 laps without incidents, with the team praising his consistency on a track known for rookie mistakes.

Williams incident disrupts flow

Williams’ Alexander Albon faced rear brake issues after two laps, causing smoke and a minor fire risk upon returning to the pits. The Thai driver exited with eye irritation from the heat.

The team quickly isolated the car, avoiding a red flag. The incident underscored Singapore’s thermal challenges, where a heat alert mandates cooling vests for the race.

Albon managed few additional laps, finishing 20th, with Williams planning thorough checks before TL2. Other drivers avoided affected areas, focusing on simulations.

The FIA tested an 80 km/h pitlane speed limit during the session for future strategic options.

Final standings highlight surprises

The top 5 shifted in the final 10 minutes, with Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren trading places. Alonso held the lead with a clean soft-tire lap, mastering corners like 10 and 19.

Leclerc, second with 1m31s266, showed Ferrari’s balance in mixed sectors. Verstappen, third at 1m31s392, prioritized long runs for tire preservation.

• 4th: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1m31s480, strong early adaptation.
• 5th: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1m31s481, close to teammate Norris.
• 6th: Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1m31s698, focused on high-speed setups.
• 7th: Isack Hadjar (RB) – 1m31s755, a midfield surprise.

Night race preparations in Marina Bay

Teams introduced aerodynamic updates, like Red Bull and Mercedes, to optimize downforce on short straights. The 32°C daytime heat will contrast with the floodlit race, requiring cooling adjustments.

McLaren, leading the constructors’ championship, used TL1 to validate safety car simulations, common on this track. Hamilton, in his Ferrari debut here, completed 25 laps error-free.

Sainz, now at Williams, took seventh on mediums, signaling qualifying potential. The session confirmed soft tires as key for pole, with expected degradation of 0.2s per lap in long stints.

The Singapore GP continues with the second free practice at 10 a.m. (Brasilia time), broadcast by Bandsports. Qualifying is Saturday at 10 a.m., and the race is Sunday at 8:30 a.m.