F1 Singapore GP LIVE: Practice schedule and updates as Max Verstappen is penalised for swearing
F1 live updates from the Marina Bay Street Circuit as all 20 drivers take to the track for the first time
F1 heads to the original ‘night race’ as the Marina Bay Street Circuit hosts the Singapore Grand Prix and round 18 of the 2024 season.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri won an enthralling Azerbaijan Grand Prix last time out, with the McLaren star producing one of the drives of the year to beat Charles Leclerc, with George Russell taking third after a late crash between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.
Lando Norris, despite starting 15th, finished a spot ahead of Max Verstappen in fourth to cut the Dutchman’s lead in the world championship to 59 points with seven races - and three sprint races - remaining.
It was, however, a difficult weekend for Lewis Hamilton, who finished ninth after starting from the pit-lane. Last year in Singapore, Sainz claimed a famous victory for Ferrari in what was the only 2023 race not won by a Red Bull car.
Follow live updates from the Singapore Grand Prix
NEW: McLaren told to modify ‘mini-DRS’ rear-wing after Red Bull appeal
F1’s governing body has told McLaren to modify its “mini-DRS” rear-wing after an appeal from Red Bull.
Full story below:
McLaren told to modify ‘mini-DRS’ rear-wing after Red Bull appeal
Footage from McLaren’s onboard camera raised questions about their rear-wing flexibility
NEW: Max Verstappen receives bizarre penalty after swearing at F1 press conference
Max Verstappen has been told to “accomplish some work of public interest” in an odd ruling by the stewards after swearing during Thursday’s FIA press conference in Singapore.
The Red Bull driver, who leads this year’s world championship by 59 points to Lando Norris, has not won in seven races and struggled last week in Azerbaijan.
When asked about his car in Baku, Verstappen replied that he knew “the car was f*****” and was warned about his language by the moderator.
After being called to see the stewards on Friday, with a meeting lasting around 15 minutes, the decision reached by the stewards was an “obligation to accomplish some work of public interest.”
Full story below:
Max Verstappen receives bizarre penalty after swearing at F1 press conference
The Red Bull driver was speaking about his car in the last race in Azerbaijan when he used a swear word
F1 Singapore Grand Prix LIVE: McLaren boss Zak Brown...
“Anything we can do to help Lando, we’ll do,” he said. “We don’t want to compromise Oscar’s results. Race-by-race basis, two great drivers who are capable of winning races.”
On whether McLaren would swap drivers at the front: “Handing off a race win is a pretty difficult thing to do. We’ll take it one race at a time, it’s a pretty big ask of a grand prix driver. Lando wants to win the championship the right way, we still have a lot of racing to go. No one wants to inherit a win that way.
“Oscar is 30 or so points behind Lando, it will require some awesome weekends. You’re not looking at a driver too far back from Lando, that’s why we’ve got to take it one race at a time.”
Driver Standings heading into Singapore:
1. Max Verstappen - 313 points
2. Lando Norris - 254 points (-59)
3. Charles Leclerc - 235 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 222 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 184 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 166 points
7. Sergio Perez - 143 points
8. George Russell - 128 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 58 points
10. Lance Stroll - 24 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Alex Albon - 12 points
14. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 8 points
16. Oliver Bearman - 7 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
19. Franco Colapinto - 4 points
20. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
21. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
Daniel Ricciardo admits F1 future is ‘up in the air’ ahead of Singapore GP
Daniel Ricciardo admits his future in Formula One is shrouded in uncertainty ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Speculation is rife that a decision on RB’s 2025 drivers is expected in the next few weeks – due to a clause in Liam Lawson’s contract – and Ricciardo did not dismiss the rumours out of hand.
“I know how it is and how it works, and I knew there was always going to be some dates and deadlines this year, whether it was the summer break or now post-Singapore, so post-Singapore is the next one,” he told Sky Sports F1.
“Honestly, it’s still, so many things are up in the air. Let’s see how the weekend goes. Obviously, I’m going to give it all I can, as I have. There’s always something to fight for. We’ll see what happens. Try to get the thing on the podium, that’s my plan.”
Lewis Hamilton calls out FIA boss for ‘racial element’ over comments on swearing and rappers
Lewis Hamilton has called out FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for a comment referring to rappers when discussing the broadcast of swearing in Formula One races – saying they had a “racial element” to them.
Ben Sulayem, head of F1’s governing body, says he has asked Formula 1 to limit the amount of swearing – usually from drivers over team radio – on TV coverage of races. Swear words are currently bleeped out before being broadcast.
The 62-year-old Emirati executive said: “We have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music. We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us].”
Full story below:
Lewis Hamilton calls out FIA boss for ‘racial element’ over comments on ‘rappers’
Hamilton was unimpressed with Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s comparison to rap music when discussing drivers swearing over the team radio during F1 races
Constructors’ Championship heading into Singapore:
1. McLaren - 476 points
2. Red Bull - 456 points
3. Ferrari - 425 points
4. Mercedes - 309 points
5. Aston Martin - 82 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 29 points
8. Williams - 16 points
9. Alpine - 13 points
What are the timings for the Singapore Grand Prix?
All times BST
Friday 20 September
- Free practice 2: 2pm
Saturday 21 September
- Free practice 3: 10:30am
- Qualifying: 2pm
Sunday 22 September
- Race: 1pm
F1 Singapore Grand Prix LIVE: NEW - Max Verstappen summoned to see the stewards...
Max Verstappen has been summoned to the race stewards for an alleged breach of the International Sporting Code, relating to “language used during the FIA Thursday driver press conference.”
The Red Bull driver swore during yesterday’s press conference.
Christian Horner reveals when Red Bull’s F1 decline started – and it’s not even this year
Christian Horner says Red Bull have traced their decline all the way back to the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix last June, despite the dozen-plus races Max Verstappen won after that event.
Horner insists it was race seven of 22 last year which saw Red Bull make their first error, but the team didn’t take it seriously “because Max kept winning.”
“We traced the development history back and it turned out that the first mistake we made was with an underbody upgrade in 2023 in Barcelona,” Horner told German outlet Auto Motor und Sport.
Full story below:
Horner reveals when Red Bull’s F1 decline started – and it’s not even this year
Red Bull have not won since Barcelona but Horner says it was last year’s Spanish GP where the issues started
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