Ferrari made an encouraging start to the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, with Charles Leclerc finishing the first and only free practice session in second place and Lewis Hamilton taking fourth. Charles Leclerc ended FP1 just 0.198 seconds behind George Russell’s benchmark, while Lewis Hamilton was 0.499 seconds off the Mercedes driver ahead of the crucial Sprint Qualifying session.
The only practice hour of the weekend was particularly important because Singapore is running to the Sprint format. Ferrari therefore needed to find a competitive baseline immediately on a demanding street circuit where mistakes are heavily punished and opportunities to overtake are limited. The situation makes qualifying performance especially important for both the Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Why Singapore FP1 was so important for Ferrari
On paper, the Marina Bay Street Circuit could suit the SF-26 better than some of the recent venues because of its lower energy demands. Ferrari also arrived in Singapore with renewed momentum after returning to the podium in Malaysia for the first time in almost three months, courtesy of Lewis Hamilton.
The objective is now to confirm that progress and, if possible, aim even higher. To do so, Ferrari must optimise one area that has emerged as a weakness at several points this season: qualifying. Track position carries significant value in Singapore because overtaking is difficult, meaning the starting grid could prove decisive for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix. Fred Vasseur had already highlighted the importance of maximising Ferrari’s only Singapore practice session before the competitive action begins.
Ferrari shows encouraging pace in Singapore FP1
Ferrari sent both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton out for their opening stints on the hard tyre. The Maranello team also carried out comparative work between the two cars, with Lewis Hamilton running the aerodynamic measuring equipment commonly known as a “Christmas tree” on the rear wing, while Charles Leclerc did not.
After around ten minutes, Charles Leclerc was at the top of the timesheets, with Lewis Hamilton in third place and roughly two tenths behind his teammate. The lap times were not yet particularly representative, however, as the track conditions were still developing.
Charles Leclerc improved on his following flying lap but was subsequently passed by Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and George Russell. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, returned to the pits after reporting understeer and overheating rear tyres.
Charles Leclerc then found more performance and reclaimed first place, around one tenth ahead of Isack Hadjar and three tenths clear of Kimi Antonelli. Lewis Hamilton also improved his personal best and moved into sixth position. George Russell later displaced Charles Leclerc from the top by just under one tenth of a second.
Ferrari changes Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26 set-up
Ferrari made set-up changes to Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26 when he returned to the garage, with the Briton continuing to express dissatisfaction with the car’s behaviour. Both Ferrari drivers subsequently returned to the circuit using the same hard tyres from their earlier runs.
On his first flying lap after returning to the track, Charles Leclerc improved again and moved to within just 0.030 seconds of the benchmark temporarily set by Kimi Antonelli. Ferrari then completed a short three-lap race-pace simulation, during which Charles Leclerc produced very competitive times.
The limited amount of running means different fuel levels, tyre conditions and run plans must be considered before drawing firm conclusions from FP1. Ferrari’s short race simulation and the wider comparison between the leading teams can be explored further through the F1 Practice & Long-Run Analysis.
Charles Leclerc P2 and Lewis Hamilton P4 before Sprint Qualifying
The final ten minutes were devoted to qualifying simulations, with both Ferrari drivers switching to the soft compound. Charles Leclerc encountered traffic during his first attempt and was therefore unable to complete a representative flying lap.
Lewis Hamilton then moved to the top of the timesheets, holding an advantage of around one tenth over George Russell and Oscar Piastri. The session ultimately ended with George Russell fastest, around two tenths ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, approximately half a second behind his fellow Briton.
Predicting the order for Sprint Qualifying remains difficult because the teams will now analyse the different solutions tested during the only practice session before choosing the best possible configurations for their cars. There is therefore still considerable scope for the competitive picture to change.
Mercedes nevertheless appears to have a slight advantage over the opposition, although the overall situation remains extremely close. Ferrari’s priority must now be to maximise its result and extract the full potential from the tyres, an area in which the team has not always delivered consistently during the 2026 season.
With starting position particularly important around Marina Bay, the next session will provide a much clearer indication of Ferrari’s true potential. Charles Leclerc’s P2 and Lewis Hamilton’s P4 have at least given the Maranello team a positive platform from which to attack Sprint Qualifying.
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