F1 Singapore GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
Lando Norris starts on pole for the Singapore Grand Prix with Formula 1 title rival Max Verstappen alongside him on the front row.
The Singapore GP starts at 1pm BST
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Verstappen isn't under threat from the Mercedes pair behind him, as Hamilton pits to ditch his aging softs which releases Russell into third. Hamilton takes on hards and comes out in 13th.
"Car is overheating."
That's day done for Albon.
At the mid-teens lap target, Norris has delivered a gap double to what McLaren requested. Norris leads by 11s over Verstappen and is only building more on to it.
Albon's got an issue. He's dropped right back from Sainz, has been overtaken by Ricciardo. It looks like a retirement is on its way.
"Undercut looks strong, maybe two seconds," Norris is warned over McLaren team radio. That means fresh tyres are worth a two-second gain during the pitstop crossover against a rival who pits a lap later.
Now Sainz pits and switches to the hard tyres. The undercut looks strong as Albon almost beats the Ferrari out of the pits. That's crucial.
On lap 13 Norris adds another whole second to his lead over Verstappen. Much like the Dutch GP, this is a race Norris can extend his lead at will and with zero fuss.
If the Colapinto-Perez and Tsunoda-Sainz battles are anything to go by, the fourth DRS zone just hasn't worked in aiding overtaking. No changes as of yet.
Norris is churning out fastest laps as quickly as Oasis can sell out stadiums, as the McLaren driver's lead is up to 7s thanks to his latest purple lap.
Albon covers Ricciardo a lap later. This will begin to create gaps for the frontrunners to pit into.
The first stop of the race! Ricciardo pits at the start of lap 11 to ditch his softs and switch to mediums.
Meanwhile Piastri is told he is being switched to "Plan B". That must be to go long and extend his stint.
Vital race information as Leclerc is told Magnussen has reported the hard tyre is worse than mediums. How will teams react?
That's supreme confidence at McLaren if it can tell Norris to up his pace at will. The British driver is duly obliging, with a 1m36.715s fastest lap, to push his lead to 3.8s.
"You can see Colapinto is struggling, let's have him."
Encouragement for Perez who is within seven-tenths of the Williams driver for ninth in what is the closest battle on track.
Norris says his pace is comfortable and McLaren gives him the green light to up the ante: "We'd like to use a bit of that pace to try and get a five-second gap to Max, if possible, by the mid-teens [laps]." So that's about 2.5s in seven laps.
Norris adds another tenth and a bit to his lead over Verstappen, while nobody else is making inroads, which will be pleasing McLaren. Ferrari had been the Woking-based team's biggest challenger on race pace, but with Leclerc in ninth and Sainz 12th, they are rapidly becoming less of a factor.
"I took a carbon part on my left-hand side."
A concern for Leclerc, who is swiftly told by Ferrari that the car looks fine on the data. The question is, where did the debris come from?
Norris is still inching away from Verstappen as he puts in another fastest lap but it only adds a tenth of a second to his advantage. 1.9s in the gap at the start of lap seven.
Sainz team radio: "We are plan A."
Wonder how long that stays the same.
Albon was less than enthused by Colapinto's first lap move at Turn 1. That divebomb is what forced the former wide and down the order.
On to lap five and the pace at the front has settled down with Norris keeping 1.8s clear of Verstappen, while Hamilton is still dropping back from the Dutch driver, now 2.6s off in third.
"He needs to increase his pace a bit as the guys in front are getting away," Russell says, giving Hamilton the hurry up. Hamilton is 1.6s off Verstappen with Russell right under his rear wing.
For Perez and Sainz in 10th and 12th, the recovery through the pack will be stunted by the DRS train.
With four zones, the pack is still tight together - the average gap is less than a second across the field.
Norris winds up his McLaren for a fastest lap of 1m38.480s to shake Verstappen out of his DRS at the start of lap three.
On lap two DRS is enabled and Verstappen is clinging on to Norris as the top two are quickly gapping the Mercedes pair.
Norris has done it! He leads at the end of the opening lap from pole! Piastri has made quick work to get back up to fifth ahead of Hulkenberg so the frontrunners are back in formation.
Down the pack, Perez got his elbows out to dispose of Sainz and then Tsunoda through Turns 7, 8 and 9.
Colapinto is up to ninth as Williams team-mate Albon drops to 15th.
Norris nails the start and leads into Turn 1, while Verstappen and Hamilton go side by side, but the Dutch driver keeps second place. Piastri and Russell almost trip over each other and that allows Hulkenberg up to fifth.
Norris backs up the F1 train before taking his place on pole position. Here we go...
Norris leads away the pack for the formation lap around the Marina Bay circuit. This lap he'll definitely lead to the end, but can he do it after lap one of the race? Remember, Norris has never led at the end of lap one when he has started on pole. Today would be a very good day to end that run.
The grid is cleared and Stroll's car has been put back together so we have all 20 drivers present and correct.
Starting tyres: Hamilton and Ricciardo on softs, Magnussen, Stroll, Bottas and Zhou on hards and everyone else is on mediums.
The polesitter gets some final words of information ahead of hopping into his McLaren.
Photo by: Rebecca Clancy
"Is the car fixed?"
Strategy time: Just like Baku and other street races in dry conditions, it is pretty straightforward - a one-stopper, starting on softs or mediums before switching to the hards. But drivers will be aware they must do everything possible to look after their rubber to go the distance.
Stroll's car is in pieces on the grid as the Aston Martin mechanics are working on his front brakes, after the driver reported problems on the laps to the grid. They are in a rush against time to get the car ready for the start.
National anthem time: An upbeat and cheerful rendition performed by Singapore Airlines' cabin crew and the voices of Singapore. I wonder how many of the singers are cabin crew and how many are voices. 6/10, inoffensive.
Singapore GP starting grid: 1. Norris 2. Verstappen 3. Hamilton 4. Russell 5. Piastri 6. Hulkenberg 7. Alonso 8. Tsunoda 9. Leclerc 10. Sainz 11. Albon 12. Colapinto 13. Perez 14. Magnussen 15. Ocon 16. Ricciardo 17. Stroll 18. Gasly 19. Bottas 20. Zhou
All the drivers are safely on the grid and the pre-race pandemonium is under way. It is a hot and sweaty one.
By: Autosport Staff
