F1 Live: 2024 Singapore Grand Prix first practice

This session has finished. No further updates will be posted.

First practice for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix is coming up.

There’s one obvious change in the driver line-up for this weekend: Kevin Magnussen is back in his regular seat after serving his ban during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Coming just one week after the last round, there’s little in the way of new parts on the cars this weekend. A few teams have specific parts for the high downforce and cooling demands of this circuit. Red Bull have larger front brake ducts and McLaren have a steeper beam wing. One notable exception is Ferrari, who have brought a new front wing design with revisions to the third and fourth flap elements which are expected to work across a range of circuits. Aston Martin and RB have also brought revised front wings. The only other changes of note are revised front suspension on the Williams and a new rear wing on the Alpine.

The track has changed slightly compared to last year. The most significant revision is the addition of a fourth DRS zone which runs along the revised section from turns 14 to 16 which was introduced last year. It uses the same detection point as the preceding zone from turns 13 to 14, so effectively the track now has two single zones and pair of zones.

The Marina Bay circuit has also been extensively resurfaced for this year. According to the FIA documents the new sections run from turns three to eight, 10 to 12, 14 to 16 and 16 to 17 – indicating there’s a small patch in turn 16 which is still the old surface. The fake grass which was installed in the run-off at turns two and three has been removed.

Oscar Piastri has suffered a setback before practice has even begun. McLaren had a problem with his car while performing pit stop practice and have to do some repairs to the rear left corner. The team say they hope to get him out before the session ends.

The track is busy right away as everyone bar the unfortunate Piastri heads out on a very dusty circuit. Lando Norris goes quickest for now on a 1’35.522 with a set of the medium compound tyres.

Rapid improvements in times as the track condition improves. Carlos Sainz Jnr goes quickest on a 1’34.720 on hards, then Max Verstappen beats it by three-tenths on mediums, then Norris knocks over half a second off that on mediums, leaving the benchmark now a 1’33.903.

Dudley to Russell: “Track is picking up very quickly. Norris on the medium a 33.9.” The Mercedes driver is doing two cool-down…