The Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore delivered another dramatic chapter in Formula 1 history as Oscar Piastri surged to the top of a chaotic second free practice (FP2) session for the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix. Under the dazzling lights and humid air, the session on October 3, 2025, was anything but straightforward, with two red flags, a bizarre pit-lane collision, and a flurry of late fast laps shaping the pecking order ahead of a pivotal Saturday.
Right from the start, the atmosphere in Singapore was charged with anticipation. The FP2 session, often considered the most crucial practice due to its similarity in conditions to qualifying and the race, quickly turned into a stop-start affair. Within the opening minutes, Mercedes’ George Russell became the first casualty, crashing at Turn 16 and losing his front wing. “A bit of a weird one to be honest. I’m not too sure what happened,” Russell admitted after the incident. “I braked a bit earlier, went in a bit slower, but lost the rear. Thankfully I went in front-end on and didn’t do too much damage but it was game over. A bit annoying, sorry to the team for that, but better it happened today than tomorrow.” His early exit meant Mercedes lost valuable data, a setback that could prove costly as the weekend unfolds.
The drama didn’t end there. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson was the next to find the barriers, crashing in the final sector and shedding his front right wheel at the pit entrance. His stricken car brought out the second red flag, resulting in a total of 22 minutes lost from the 60-minute session. Marshals worked swiftly to clear the debris, but the disruptions left teams scrambling to adapt their run plans and secure meaningful track time.
As the session resumed, drivers wasted no time in pushing the limits. Max Verstappen, always a threat on street circuits, briefly jumped to the top of the leaderboard with a 1m30.857s lap for Red Bull. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who had led FP1 with a 1m31.116s, continued his strong form by slotting into fourth, while Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, and Carlos Sainz also showed flashes of pace as the times tumbled.
Yet, it was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri who ultimately stole the spotlight. In the final moments, Piastri delivered a blistering 1m30.714s, edging out Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar by a mere 0.132 seconds. Verstappen settled for third, just 0.143 seconds adrift. The result underscored Piastri’s growing confidence and consistency as the championship leader, further extending his psychological edge over the field.
Lando Norris, Piastri’s teammate and chief title rival, endured a more complicated session. Despite finishing fifth with a time of 1m31.197s, Norris was nearly half a second off Piastri’s benchmark. His frustrations were evident in radio exchanges with his engineer, Will Joseph, as they discussed strategies to unlock more pace. Norris candidly admitted, “My car is not half a second off; my driving’s half a second off.” The Briton’s honesty highlighted the fine margins at play and the pressure cooker environment of a title fight.
But Norris’ woes didn’t end with pure pace. In a moment that left the paddock buzzing, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was released unsafely into Norris’ path in the pit lane. The resulting collision sent Norris into the pit wall, breaking his McLaren’s front wing and triggering a post-session investigation by the stewards. The incident not only disrupted McLaren’s run plan but also raised questions about pit-lane procedures and Ferrari’s operational discipline. Images of the damaged McLaren and Norris’ visible frustration quickly made the rounds on social media, adding another layer of intrigue to an already tense weekend.
Isack Hadjar’s performance was another talking point. The Frenchman, piloting for the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team, stunned observers by securing second fastest, just 0.132 seconds shy of Piastri. His eye-catching lap put him ahead of established stars and signaled Racing Bulls’ intent to mix it with the front-runners. For Hadjar, the result marked a significant personal milestone and a potential springboard for greater achievements as the season progresses.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton’s session was a tale of what might have been. The seven-time world champion, now with Scuderia Ferrari HP, ended up tenth after aborting his only flying lap on soft tyres due to a moment at Turn 14. Hamilton’s best time, a 1m31.491s, was set on mediums, suggesting there was more pace in the car had circumstances allowed. “It looks as though Lando Norris has backed out of his soft tyre run. He’s down in 12th,” one report noted, illustrating just how fluid the order was as drivers jostled for clear track and optimal conditions.
The disruptions to FP2 left teams with limited opportunities to conduct long-run simulations, an essential component of race preparation in Singapore’s demanding heat. With FP3 scheduled for the following morning—under vastly different conditions before the sun sets—teams face an uphill battle to dial in their setups for qualifying and the race. “The lack of time to get in some proper long runs will leave the teams a step behind their typical preparations,” observed one analyst. “They won’t get another chance to see exactly how the cars will perform in this specification over a longer distance until when it matters in the race.”
The official results from FP2 painted a picture of a field in flux: Piastri led the way, followed by Hadjar, Verstappen, Alonso, and Norris. Stroll, Ocon, Sainz, Leclerc, and Hamilton rounded out the top ten. Notably, George Russell and Liam Lawson, both involved in crashes, finished at the bottom of the timesheets, their sessions cut short by misfortune.
Beyond the on-track action, the paddock was abuzz with off-track rumors and developments. The future of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner came under the spotlight, with speculation swirling about potential moves to other teams. However, team bosses from Aston Martin, Williams, and Alpine were quick to dispel any suggestions of imminent changes, emphasizing stability amid the rumor mill.
As the sun set on a frenetic Friday, the stage was set for a thrilling weekend. With Oscar Piastri holding the upper hand and McLaren looking strong, the battle for supremacy in Singapore remains wide open. The disruptions and drama of FP2 have only heightened the sense of unpredictability heading into final practice and qualifying.
With FP3 and qualifying looming, all eyes will be on how teams respond to the unique challenges of Marina Bay. Will Piastri’s momentum carry through, or can rivals like Norris, Verstappen, and Alonso mount a comeback? One thing’s for sure: in Singapore, anything can happen, and the story is far from over.
