Singapore GP Friday practice
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By: Geoff Creighton
Summary
Status: Stopped
Driver, Team
Raikkonen, Ferrari
Hamilton, Mercedes
Verstappen, Red Bull
Ricciardo, Red Bull
Bottas, Mercedes
Sainz, Renault
Grosjean, Haas
Alonso, McLaren
Vettel, Ferrari
Hulkenberg, Renault
Raikkonen, Ferrari
Hamilton, Mercedes
Verstappen, Red Bull
Ricciardo, Red Bull
Bottas, Mercedes
Sainz, Renault
Grosjean, Haas
Alonso, McLaren
Vettel, Ferrari
Hulkenberg, Renault
So, please join us again for final practice tomorrow before we go qualifying under the lights. For now, here's your full report of FP2 – Raikkonen quickest from Hamilton, as Vettel hits the wall: 
Kimi Raikkonen ends Friday quickest, and has also had to conduct Ferrari's long runs solo after Vettel aborted a qualifying lap and then didn't return to the track after clouting the wall.
Mercedes is in the hunt – Lewis Hamilton lapped just 0.011s slower than Raikkonen – but the Red Bulls were some way off on hypersofts.
Mercedes is in the hunt – Lewis Hamilton lapped just 0.011s slower than Raikkonen – but the Red Bulls were some way off on hypersofts.
The chequered flag flies. FP2 is finished. That's your lot for track action under the lights on Friday in Singapore.
A couple of minutes left of FP2. The order will not change, so now would be a particularly bad time for a driver to give his team an even later Friday night...
"The engine's doing the same thing again. You don't see it in the data?"
Verstappen reporting some engine oddity. He's told to change the fuel mix.
Verstappen reporting some engine oddity. He's told to change the fuel mix.
Minor moment for Gasly entering the pits – he overshot the part of the pitlane entry that encompasses the final corner and skated across the kerb a little. Just about pulled it back to head into the pits as planned.
Hamilton's out of the car and walking back through the Mercedes garage so that looks like his session is over with around seven minutes remaining.
Raikkonen's been rapid in this session. Too rapid. No, that's not scepticism because Kimi's driving quickly – it's a reference to the FIA announcing he's been too fast through the pitlane and has copped a €1000 fine. 73.1km/h in a 60. Naughty.
Spin for a Sauber driver. Initially, the TV feed thinks it is new Ferrari signing but it's actually Ericsson. Rapid reactions from Alonso, who avoided the rotating Sauber even though he was only just behind!
A fair bit of soft-tyre and ultrasoft-tyre work for the long runs as teams steer clear of the hypersoft. Apart from those who have to use it at the start, given they'll need to use it to get into Q3, it's probably not going to be a desired race tyre. The degradation of that rubber is high.
Beyond Vettel, Bottas won't be hugely chuffed to be shipping 0.6s to Hamilton. Likewise Hulkenberg (0.4s slower than Sainz), Vandoorne (0.7s slower than Alonso) and Magnussen (0.8s slower than Grosjean).
Bit of homework to do on their respective sides of the garage tonight.
Bit of homework to do on their respective sides of the garage tonight.
Driver-wise, you have to say the big loser from this session is Vettel. He's losing crucial mileage because that error, and it's not the first time we've seen him suffer from his own mistakes this year.
What was that about him being his own biggest enemy?
What was that about him being his own biggest enemy?
A quick appraisal of the unhappier teams in Singapore this evening.
Red Bull's probably not going to be too chuffed to be the wrong side of half a second off the pace at a place it was hoping to fight for the win at.
Still, its faring better than its junior team. Toro Rosso is at the tail end of the midfield fight, a few tenths back and quicker only than Williams – which is properly detached at the back. Could be a long weekend for those two teams.
Red Bull's probably not going to be too chuffed to be the wrong side of half a second off the pace at a place it was hoping to fight for the win at.
Still, its faring better than its junior team. Toro Rosso is at the tail end of the midfield fight, a few tenths back and quicker only than Williams – which is properly detached at the back. Could be a long weekend for those two teams.
Stroll's made it back to the pitlane. Williams descends on the right-rear to try to cool it. Nothing too dramatic, it seems.
Before we get onto the unhappy people, Stroll's on fire – no, it's not a mega lap time, his right-rear brake is aflame! He's currently making his way back to the pits slowly.
Let's scan the timing screen and see who should be happy with their evening's work so far. Starting with the teams...
Ferrari's day is a bit hit and miss. Vettel hit the wall, but Raikkonen missed it and is currently quickest. Mercedes will also be quite happy given Hamilton trails Raikkonen by just 0.011s.
Renaut's leading the best-of-the-rest fight in sixth and McLaren's inside the top 10 thanks to Alonso. So they'll be quite pleased with Friday.
Ferrari's day is a bit hit and miss. Vettel hit the wall, but Raikkonen missed it and is currently quickest. Mercedes will also be quite happy given Hamilton trails Raikkonen by just 0.011s.
Renaut's leading the best-of-the-rest fight in sixth and McLaren's inside the top 10 thanks to Alonso. So they'll be quite pleased with Friday.
Some practice starts at the end of the pitlane. Alonso in the McLaren leading a little queue. It's rather quiet thanks to the race preparation work going on.
Channel 4's Lee McKenzie reports some damage to the radiator on Vettel's car – fluid in the pitlane and in the Ferrari garage.
Toro Rosso usually shines on the slower circuits, although it's been quiet so far today. Pierre Gasly is 7/1 to finish 5th in the race with our partner Pitstop Betting. Play along today by downloading the app.
Ocon's just moved up to 13th after a delayed hot lap. He's less than a tenth slower than team-mate Perez, who is 11th.
Ferrari's been inspecting Vettel's car after that hit with the wall. We're now into the longer runs.
Here's the order after the qualifying simulations:
1. Raikkonen 1m38.699s
2. Hamilton 1m38.710s
3. Verstappen 1m39.221s
4. Ricciardo 1m39.309s
5. Bottas 1m39.368s
6. Sainz 1m40.274s
7. Grosjean 1m40.384s
8. Alonso 1m40.459s
9. Vettel 1m40.633s
10. Hulkenberg 1m40.668s
1. Raikkonen 1m38.699s
2. Hamilton 1m38.710s
3. Verstappen 1m39.221s
4. Ricciardo 1m39.309s
5. Bottas 1m39.368s
6. Sainz 1m40.274s
7. Grosjean 1m40.384s
8. Alonso 1m40.459s
9. Vettel 1m40.633s
10. Hulkenberg 1m40.668s
The Red Bulls have managed to split the Mercedes pair. Verstappen's third on a 1m39.221s, with Ricciardo less than a tenth slower.
Vettel maybe a bit greedy on the throttle, and the car drifted wide and thumped the wall square with both right-hand side wheels.
Vettel bails out of his flying lap. It looked rapid but he brushed the wall exiting the penultimate corner and brings his Ferrari immediately into the pitlane.
Verstappen pops up in fourth, just ahead of Ricciardo. So Red Bull's really not got the pace on qualifying simulations – by some way. Half a second off already, which suggests fighting for pole could be beyond them here. That's a shame – but there's a bit more running to do, so let's not write them off just yet.
Vettel's out on track, which means we've got flying laps from him and Verstappen to enjoy now. And Ricciardo can presumably lap faster.
Not a great lap from Ricciardo, he's 0.8s off on hypersofts. Slightly peculiar lack of pace.
Meanwhile, Hamilton locks up at Turn 1 and skates over the run-off.
Meanwhile, Hamilton locks up at Turn 1 and skates over the run-off.
Grosjean's gone fifth-fastest for Haas, a tenth slower than Sainz and about the same clear of Alonso.
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