Free Practice 2 in Singapore was peak Marina Bay: messy, meme-worthy, and surprisingly revealing. Between Oscar Piastri’s viral radio, Ferrari’s pit lane calamity, Aston Martin’s fleeting promise, and Red Bull’s ominous return to form, the session gave us a clear sense of how chaotic this weekend could get.
Piastri: Quickest on Track, Quickest on the Mic
Oscar Piastri set the fastest lap with a 1:30.714, but more than that, he delivered what might already be the radio line of the season: “The knob is quite stiff, but didn’t think that would be appropriate for TV.” He’s now two-for-two in turning FP sessions into comedy gold, and by the end of the season we’ll need a compilation of his greatest hits.
It follows directly on from FP1, where he joked “Ferrari will invent mirrors one day, I hope.” Two sessions in, Piastri has already staked his claim as the radio king of Singapore.
Ferrari Strike Again in the Pit Lane
The defining incident came when Ferrari released Charles Leclerc into Lando Norris in the fast lane. It was a textbook unsafe release: the signal was unclear, Norris was already coming down the pit lane, and contact was inevitable. The result? A €10,000 fine.
It’s the kind of slap on the wrist that won’t change anything. Sending Norris into the wall cost far more than the fine itself, and under the current system, Ferrari effectively asserted dominance over McLaren for the price of a dinner bill in Monaco.
But really, it’s nothing new. Ferrari’s FP1 was already full of jokes about their perpetual chaos, still asleep at the wheel, inventing solutions no one asked for. By FP2, they delivered again, not on pace but on pit lane circus acts.
Crashes, Sacrifices, and Flying Tyres
Singapore’s walls are never forgiving, and FP2 proved it again. George Russell added to his growing Marina Bay highlight reel with his annual Turn 16 crash. Alex Albon struggled too, suggesting the “racing gods” might be demanding a sacrifice. Liam Lawson joined the list with a heavy hit at Turn 17, but at least his crash was cinematic, the rear snapped like a movie stunt, and his detached tire continued around the track on its own lap of honor.
Just as in FP1, where “I hit the wall, bro” became instant radio poetry, Singapore seems to strip the drama down to the bluntest, funniest phrasing possible.
Aston Martin: The Hope and the Heartbreak
FP2’s classification teased Aston Martin fans again. Alonso P4, Stroll P6, and the car looking genuinely sharp around the tight, twisty track. But the Aston cycle is familiar: strong in practice, decent in qualifying, and then slipping backwards in the race. Their car always seems to come with a free trial period that expires once the lights go out.
Isack Hadjar: A Rookie Statement
The real surprise came from Isack Hadjar in P2. His lap time wasn’t just quick, it was authoritative, raising questions about whether Racing Bulls might suddenly be more than just a junior team. Hadjar has had a breakthrough year, and if he carries this form forward, it’s hard not to see him knocking on Red Bull’s door for the #2 seat.
Norris and the “Missing Feelings”
Lando Norris finished P5 and sounded frustrated: “Missing all the feelings I had here last year.” That wasn’t about emotions, it was about feedback from the car. McLaren’s extreme anti-dive suspension has dulled steering sensitivity, and for a driver like Norris, who relies heavily on front-end feel, that’s a huge adjustment.
His style depends on reading the grip through his hands; Piastri, by contrast, extracts more from the rear. The upgrades McLaren introduced earlier this season were designed to mitigate the issue, and they’ve helped, but they haven’t solved it completely. Andrea Stella has admitted the design has made Norris’s life more difficult, even if Norris consistently takes the blame on himself.
Red Bull Recovery and the Fear of Verstappen
The real undercurrent of FP2 was the sense that Red Bull are back. Helmut Marko declared this was their best Friday in Singapore “in a long time,” and both Verstappen and the engineers are satisfied with the car. Normally Max spends Friday complaining, only to find pace on Saturday. For him to already be content is a chilling signal.
Mark Hughes highlighted laps that suggest the Red Bull recovery is real. The implications are obvious: McLaren may be about to hear the Jaws theme in their heads, except this time it blends into the du du, du du rhythm of Verstappen bearing down. Verstappen is the T-1000 of F1: relentless, methodical, and always closing in.
If Red Bull can win here, on a track that’s supposed to favor McLaren, it flips the script. McLaren suddenly face an internal nightmare: do they back one driver to secure the title, or risk splitting points and watch Verstappen close in? Norris can’t afford to keep finishing P2 and P3. Piastri can absorb some thirds, but only if DNFs are avoided. And Verstappen? If you give him a sniff of a championship, he’ll bite McLaren’s whole arm off.
Singapore Flair: The Merlion in a Race Car
Even during the red flag, Singapore delivered its own brand of spectacle. A light display projected Merli the Merlion, the city’s mascot, driving a race car. It was a surreal but perfect Marina Bay touch, “not just a lion, a Merlion.”
Final Word
FP2 was everything at once: Piastri turning the session into comedy, Ferrari turning it into a circus, Aston teasing false hope, Hadjar making a statement, Norris grappling with his car’s feel, and Verstappen looking ominously comfortable.
Ferrari’s €10,000 fine summed it up: a slap on the wrist for chaos that cost far more in damage and consequence. Just as in FP1, where their “small indie company” energy was already on display, the team found a way to dominate the headlines without dominating the timesheets.
If Red Bull’s recovery is real, then McLaren’s title battle might not just be between Norris and Piastri anymore. The shark music is playing under the lights of Marina Bay, and this story is only getting started.