2024 Singapore Grand Prix: FP2 Session Times - Verstappen Tops the Charts as Ferrari Struggles
The second practice session for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen continue his dominant form, topping the timesheets with a scorching lap of 1:30.789. The Red Bull driver showcased the team's incredible pace on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, leaving the rest of the grid in his wake.
Ferrari, on the other hand, faced a challenging afternoon. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. struggled to find the right setup for their SF-24 cars, ending the session in 5th and 8th place respectively. This leaves the Italian team with a lot of work to do ahead of qualifying, as they try to close the gap to Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton emerged as Verstappen's closest competitor, finishing in second place with a time of 1:31.002. The Mercedes driver, though, admitted that the team still has work to do to find the ultimate pace.
George Russell completed the top three, securing a strong position for Mercedes. The British driver's performance further highlights the potential of the team's car in the challenging Singapore conditions.
Here are the full FP2 session times:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:30.789 | - |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:31.002 | +0.213 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:31.221 | +0.432 |
| 4 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1:31.456 | +0.667 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:31.502 | +0.713 |
| 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:31.615 | +0.826 |
| 7 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | 1:31.822 | +1.033 |
| 8 | Carlos Sainz Jr | Ferrari | 1:31.977 | +1.188 |
| 9 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:32.012 | +1.223 |
| 10 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:32.205 | +1.416 |
| 11 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:32.258 | +1.469 |
| 12 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:32.473 | +1.684 |
| 13 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:32.512 | +1.723 |
| 14 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:32.555 | +1.766 |
| 15 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 1:32.787 | +1.998 |
| 16 | Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri | 1:33.002 | +2.213 |
| 17 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:33.152 | +2.363 |
| 18 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:33.185 | +2.396 |
| 19 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | 1:33.228 | +2.439 |
| 20 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 1:33.512 | +2.723 |
Key Takeaways:
- Red Bull continues to dominate the Singapore Grand Prix weekend with Verstappen setting the pace in FP2.
- Ferrari struggles with setup issues and needs to improve considerably ahead of qualifying.
- Mercedes appears competitive, with both Hamilton and Russell finishing in the top three.
- The battle for midfield positions is intense, with multiple teams vying for the best grid positions.
The focus will now shift to qualifying, where the teams will fight for the best starting positions on the challenging Marina Bay Street Circuit.
