Norris Struggles as Piastri Tops Singapore GP Practice

Norris Admits “Bad Day” as Piastri Leads Disrupted Singapore GP Practice

Lando Norris endured a frustrating opening day at the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, labelling his Friday performance as “a bad day” after finishing fifth in the second practice session, nearly half a second off the pace set by McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri, who leads Norris by 25 points in the current drivers’ standings, clocked the fastest lap of the day, reaffirming his strong form after a turbulent Baku weekend.

Norris: “Just Not Doing a Very Good Job”

Norris was candid in his self-assessment:

“A difficult day for me. Not feeling too great with the car, missing all the feelings I had here last year… just a bad day.”

The Briton’s frustrations were amplified when he collided with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the pit lane, breaking his front wing. The incident occurred due to an unsafe release by Ferrari, for which the team was fined €10,000 by race stewards.

Over team radio, Norris admitted to his engineer that his pace issues were down to “my driving”.

Piastri in Control

Piastri, by contrast, appeared confident and relaxed, topping the session and joking about Ferrari’s lack of spatial awareness:

“I’m sure Ferrari will invent mirrors some day.”

The Australian, recovering from an error-laden Baku GP, said:

“The car has been in a good place and I felt like I learned a lot today. It’s been a good day.”

Red Flags Disrupt Sessions

The damaged Mercedes of George Russell, minus a front wing, after his crash during second practice

The practice sessions were twice halted due to crashes:

• George Russell (Mercedes) spun into the barriers at Turn 16, breaking his front wing.

• Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) suffered a hard hit exiting Turn 17, damaging both right-side wheels and blocking the pit entry.

As a result, teams missed long-run simulations, clouding the competitive picture ahead of qualifying.

Friday Practice Top Times (FP2)

Reactions from the Paddock

Max Verstappen (Red Bull):

“The car was not too bad… No major problems. Satisfied, but we need a bit more pace.”

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin):

“Still not in a happy place, especially on the front axle… but probably our best Friday so far this season.”

Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari):

“Enjoyed driving the car. McLaren are very fast, but we made good steps today.”

Analysis: McLaren Form, Ferrari Chaos & Aston Surprise

• McLaren look sharp, but Norris’ form slump contrasts heavily with Piastri’s confidence.

• Ferrari’s operational issues (pit-lane error, messy session for Leclerc) could hurt them in qualifying.

• Alonso’s Aston Martin showed promise in a layout that suits the car’s strengths — but will it last into Q3?

With qualifying set for Saturday, all eyes will be on whether Norris can bounce back and if McLaren’s Friday pace holds under pressure.