Brief
George Russell tops Singapore Grand Prix practice as Mercedes eye title fight
Russell led the sole practice session at Singapore, with Leclerc second and Norris third, as a new power unit forces him to start from the back.
By Felo News Desk · Published
George Russell set the pace in the sole practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix, finishing 0.198 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, according to Independent reports.
What happened
The practice was run in daylight on Saturday. Russell recorded the fastest lap, followed by Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris in third. Lewis Hamilton, also driving for Ferrari, was fourth, more than half a second slower. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, running on medium tyres, locked up at turn 16 and ended the session in the escape road, posting the seventh‑fastest time. Max Verstappen, the recent Bahrain winner, was sixth in his Red Bull.
What the reports add
Both Independent articles note that Russell will start the race from the back of the grid after Mercedes fitted him with a new power unit, a penalty that further dents his title hopes. The pieces also mention Antonelli’s earlier power‑unit failure in Bahrain, which gave him an 84‑point lead with seven races remaining. One source adds that the practice session was the only one for the weekend, replacing the usual Friday‑Saturday format.
What was said
"Russell will start the race from the back of the grid after taking a new power‑unit, in a further blow to his slender title hopes," the Independent reported.
How it came about
Mercedes’ championship battle intensified after Russell’s engine failed in the closing stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix, prompting a new‑unit penalty for Singapore (see previous Felo coverage). Earlier in the season, Russell secured pole in Azerbaijan and won that race, narrowing Antonelli’s lead (see Felo article). The practice performance shows Russell’s pace despite the upcoming rear‑grid start.
Key facts
- George Russell was fastest in Singapore Grand Prix practice, 0.198s ahead of Charles Leclerc. (independent.co.uk)
- Lando Norris was third fastest, Lewis Hamilton fourth. (independent.co.uk)
- Kimi Antonelli locked up at turn 16 and finished seventh on medium tyres. (independent.co.uk)
- Russell will start the race from the back of the grid after a new power unit. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-09-25 — Russell secured pole in Azerbaijan after Antonelli crash
- 2026-09-26 — Russell won Azerbaijan Grand Prix, cutting Antonelli lead
- 2026-10-06 — Russell to start Singapore from back after Bahrain engine failure
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