Franco Colapinto ended the sole practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix in 19th place, according to Clarin.com, as Formula 1 prepares for its sixth and final Sprint weekend of the 2026 season at the Marina Bay street circuit.
Sprint Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Argentina time, with the pole sitter determined by roughly 10:14 a.m. barring red-flag interruptions, Clarin.com reports. The session follows the shortened three-part format used on Sprint weekends.
The Argentine driver, competing for Alpine, used the hard compound early in practice, then ran used hard tires during a full-fuel test before switching to mediums for his fastest lap of the session. Clarin.com notes the tire choice was logical for two reasons: teams are required to run mediums in SQ1 and SQ2, with softs permitted only in SQ3, and Sprint weekends limit each team to six sets of soft tires across all sessions — making it potentially worthwhile for Alpine to save a set for later.
Colapinto's first timed lap on the medium compound was a 1m35.345s, six tenths slower than his French teammate, according to Clarin.com. The report adds that Colapinto was not comfortable at the start of the weekend, radioing in problems through the corners — a particular concern at a circuit where confidence matters because quick laps require brushing close to the walls.
Why it matters
Colapinto needs a strong qualifying result to have any chance of returning to the points with Alpine, Clarin.com reports. The team has gone two consecutive race weekends without either car finishing in the top 10, and the Singapore Sprint offers one of the last opportunities of the season to reverse that run.
The weekend also marks Singapore's first-ever Sprint race. Points will be awarded to the top eight finishers in Saturday's 21-lap Sprint, which starts at 6 a.m. Argentina time, per Clarin.com.
How the Sprint Qualifying format works
The Sprint Qualifying session is divided into three segments, shorter than a conventional qualifying hour. SQ1 lasts 12 minutes, SQ2 runs 10 minutes, and SQ3 is just eight minutes, according to Clarin.com. Six cars are eliminated in the first segment, six more in the second, and the remaining ten compete for pole.
Medium tires are mandatory in the first two segments; the soft compound is allowed only in the final eight-minute shootout. Clarin.com reports that front-running teams typically fuel for the full session duration.
Red flag interrupts the session
Practice was halted when debris fell from Sergio Perez's Cadillac after a frontal impact at the exit of Turn 4 damaged his front wing, Clarin.com reports. The Mexican driver was able to return to the pit lane, and marshals cleared the track before running resumed.
Perez had earlier triggered a brief yellow flag when he was able to stay on track, and it was unclear whether the front-wing damage would allow him to continue, according to Clarin.com.
The session also ran without the onboard camera feeds normally shown during broadcasts, though team radio remained audible — the same issue that occurred at the start of FP1, Clarin.com reports.
Night running and track conditions
Clarin.com notes that Sprint Qualifying will take place under artificial lights, the same conditions drivers will face in Sunday's race. The single practice session ran in daylight with a dusty track surface; stewards have said the circuit will be cleaned before qualifying begins.
Singapore has hosted a Grand Prix since 2008 and was the first Formula 1 race run at night, according to Clarin.com. Sebastian Vettel has five wins at Marina Bay and Lewis Hamilton four, though the event was not held in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.
Max Verstappen leads all drivers with 13 Sprint victories since the format was introduced in 2021, Clarin.com reports, but he has never won or taken pole at Singapore — which is hosting a short-format race for the first time.
Elsewhere in the paddock
Clarin.com reports that one English driver is running the Mercedes without the upgrade package fitted to teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli's car and has taken a new power unit, which will trigger a grid penalty on Sunday and force him to start from the back.
Alexander Albon is wearing a helmet designed around the durian, a fruit known for its strong smell, as a tribute to his home country of Thailand. "If it helps to keep drivers away from me then that's a good thing," Albon joked on Formula 1's social channels, per Clarin.com.
Discussion about Esteban Ocon's future continues at Singapore after he confirmed last week he will not remain with the American team. Team principal Ayao Komatsu told Sky Sports that Ocon is "very, very fast on his day" when the car suits him, but said the team is looking for "that speed plus consistency and also the feedback," according to Clarin.com.
Valtteri Bottas, unlike the other 21 drivers on the grid, traveled between Malaysia and Singapore — hosts of the season's last two rounds — by bicycle, and described the trip on social media, Clarin.com reports.
What to watch
Sprint Qualifying gets underway at 9:30 a.m. Argentina time, with the pole sitter expected shortly after 10:14 a.m. if the session runs without stoppages.
