Norris sets pace as Verstappen has 'difficult' day

Mercedes driver George Russell crashed in the final minutes of Friday practice at the Singapore Grand Prix after McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc established themselves as pace-setters.

Russell, who was only seventh fastest as he and team-mate Lewis Hamilton appeared to struggle, went straight on at Turn Eight after locking his front right wheel.

The Briton managed to reverse back out of the barriers and continue to the pits, minus his front wing and with a damaged nose cone.

At the top of the timing sheets, Norris, who is aiming to close his 59-point deficit to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the championship, was 0.058 seconds clear of Leclerc.

Verstappen was struggling, 15th fastest and 1.294secs off the pace. His team-mate Sergio Perez was eighth overall.

On a difficult day for the world champion, he was also censured by governing body the FIA for swearing in Thursday's official news conference. He has been ordered to "accomplish some work of public interest".

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third fastest, 0.629secs off the pace, followed by RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton, complaining of a lack of grip, was 11th fastest

Singapore was the only race last year that Red Bull did not win in the most dominant season in F1 history.

Because their car loses more performance than those of rivals on bumpy circuits that require drivers to use the kerbs, Red Bull were expecting to struggle at this race again.

This has already been seen this year at Monaco, and Singapore is another street track with similar characteristics.

It gives Norris what appears at this stage to be a good opportunity to make significant inroads into the gap to Verstappen - which he needs to do by an average of just over eight points a race until the end of the season if he is to beat the Dutchman to the title.

Norris and Leclerc were the fastest drivers all day - the Ferrari topped the first session, held in daylight, by 0.076secs before their positions were reversed under the lights after nightfall.