Daniel Ricciardo topped the time sheets once more in Free Practice Two at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Having been fastest in Free Practice 1 also, Ricciardo looks like the man to beat. His team-mate, Max Verstappen, claimed the second fastest time of the day, even after he made contact with the wall.
As expected around the Marina Bay Sands circuit, the Mercedes Petronas Formula One Team wasn’t as competitive as they normally are, with Lewis Hamilton and Valterri Bottas sitting third and fourth fastest respectively.
The Scuderia Ferrari drivers failed to capitalise on their potential around the track, with Kimi Raikkonen only managing ninth fastest. Sebastian Vettel looked to split the Red Bull drivers, but was forced to abort his lap on the Ultra Soft tyres after being held up by Marcus Ericsson, and then brushing the wall quite forcefully. He finished eleventh fastest.
Outside of the top four, the ‘best of the rest’ driver was Nico Hulkenberg in the Renault Sport Formula 1 Team car, who was nine places ahead of team-mate Jolyon Palmer, who sat down in fourteenth. Sixth and seventh quickest were the two McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team drivers, with Stoffel Vandoorne being just quicker than Fernando Alonso.
Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon put their Sahara Force India F1 Team cars in eighth and tenth respectively in what was a quiet session for both drivers.
Behind Vettel were Carlos Sainz Jr. and Daniil Kvyat in the Scuderia Toro Rosso cars. It was Sainz’ first run of the weekend as he sat Free Practice One out to allow Sean Galeal time in the car. Following behind them was Palmer, in the ‘seat’ that Sainz will be driving in for the 2018 season.
The Williams Martini Racing drivers seemed to struggle around the Singapore circuit, with Felipe Massa finishing fifteenth fastest and Lance Stroll in sixteenth. The final four places were made up of Kevin Magnussen, Romain Grosjean, Pascal Wehrlein and finally Marcus Ericsson.
The Red Bull cars look like the ones to beat, but only time will tell if Mercedes can turn their engine up in qualifying, and we are yet to see how Ferrari will run this weekend.
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