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Singapore Grand Prix

This weekend will see the grand prix beginning at 13:00 BST on race day.

Live commentary provided on radio channels and BBC Sport.

Opening Round Highlights

The team's two-time champion set the pace beating Monegasque driver and Dutch ace in first practice at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The British team's drivers Australian rookie and Lando Norris wrapped up the session in mid-table positions.

Piastri was a notable margin speedier than the Briton.

The experienced Spaniard was a tenth and a half leading of Leclerc and a clear gap quicker than the Red Bull star.

The Italian squad's British icon was just outside the top three.

Weekend Outlook

Unlikely that the Silverstone-based team will be front-runners for the top spot.

However, the squad are hopeful of a improved performance on a low-speed track that is better matched to their car, which runs more competitively when plenty of downforce are needed.

Veteran racer Fernando is also known as a street circuit master, and usually excels on the Marina Bay street track.

Yet he was almost certainly using a lighter load or a higher engine mode than his opponents, or each, to post the fastest lap.

Practice Conditions

Partner Lance Stroll was almost two seconds slower in the lower order.

He had difficulties with his driving position at the start and was also evaluating test items.

FP1 in Singapore is not representative of later performance for qualifying and race as it is held in afternoon sun in the daytime, while grid-deciding session and the race are run at night.

Championship Standings

The McLaren driver has an advantage over Norris by a quarter-century with seven races to go as they approach the Grand Prix in Singapore.

McLaren are in position to clinch the constructors' championship on the weekend.

The only way they can fail to secure it in Singapore is if the Silver Arrows surpass them by thirty-one or the Scuderia achieve that by a similar margin.

Rival Teams

The energy drink brand's team are hopeful of a positive weekend after Max's wins in Italy and Azerbaijan ahead of this event.

It was a relief when light rain falling before the session abated by the moment the cars went out on a track that had remained dry.

Team consultant Helmut Marko commented before the session that they wanted a dry hour to begin properly on fine-tuning their chassis settings for the event.