Valtteri Bottas is likely to be confirmed as a Stake F1 driver for next season, ending months of uncertainty. His future was in doubt after Nico Hulkenberg was signed for 2025, as Audi gets ready to join F1 in 2026. Despite a tough season with the winless Sauber team, Bottas is expected to receive a one-year contract with no option to extend. This decision gives new team principal Mattia Binotto time to evaluate who will partner Hulkenberg.
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Lando Norris set the fastest lap in the final practice for the Singapore Grand Prix, with a time of 1:29.64, nearly half a second faster than George Russell. Max Verstappen improved to fourth place with a lap of 1:30.540 after struggling earlier. McLaren and Ferrari are strong competitors, while Verstappen is under pressure as the championship leader and hasn’t won in seven races. Historically, Red Bull has faced challenges in Singapore, with their last win here dating back to 2013.
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Pirelli cleared things up with George Russell after he criticized the inconsistent performance of their tires following the Azerbaijan GP. Russell expressed frustration over how his Mercedes performed poorly on medium tires but excelled on hards, blaming the tires for the inconsistent pace. Pirelli’s head, Mario Isola, explained that factors like car setup, track conditions, and tire management were behind the performance differences. After an investigation, Pirelli confirmed the tire behavior was normal and similar across all teams, with no unusual issues found.
Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble (motorsport.com)
Charles Leclerc has been called to the stewards after Ferrari reportedly broke the rules during a pit stop in the final practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix. He was frustrated with his car, saying it felt "*****" and that they were "very slow," finishing fifth behind Lando Norris. The FIA noted that the tire pressures on Leclerc's car were changed incorrectly while it was stationary, leading to the summons.
Click here to read the full article by Matt Gretton (gpblog.com)
Alex Albon said the upgrades for Williams at the Singapore Grand Prix are “a little bit of an unknown.” He is the only driver using the new FW46 model, which has updates like front wishbones and brake ducts, while Franco Colapinto drives an older car. Albon sees this weekend as a chance to experiment and learn, even though Singapore isn’t a strong track for the team. He hopes to gain insights that can help improve their performance in the future.
Click here to read the full article by Dan Lawrence (motorsportweek.com)
