- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is 116 points clear of Leclerc and 125 ahead of Perez.
- In the overall standings, the Dutchman will have his first shot at wrapping up.
- Second successive constructors’ title when he takes on Lewis Hamilton.
Charles Leclerc set the quickest time in a rain-shortened final Formula One practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday.
On intermediate tires, the Monegasque lapped the dark 5-kilometer Marina Bay track in one minute, 57.782 seconds, finishing more than 0.5 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
Carlos Sainz, a teammate of Leclerc’s from Ferrari who finished first in Friday’s practice sessions, finished third.
Organizers started the clock on the hour of practice but kept the pit lane closed due to a tropical downpour that occurred before the session began.
After conditions had improved for 30 minutes into the session, cars were finally allowed on the track, with drivers choosing a combination of full wet and intermediate tires.
Some drivers were taken off guard by the variable weather, including Mercedes racer George Russell, who was one of many to use the exit road.
Additionally, it resulted in a jumbled running order, with Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s Mexican teammate, finishing fourth for Alpine ahead of Fernando Alonso.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finished sixth fastest, beating Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Sebastian Vettel of the same squad.
Russell finished ninth, and Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren placed him in tenth.
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, finished just 12th despite setting the session record during Friday’s first practise, which gave him the top spot on the timesheets for the first time this year.
Verstappen, who turned 25 on Friday, will get his first chance this weekend to win a second straight championship.
In the overall standings, the Dutchman leads Charles Leclerc by 116 points and Perez by 125 points.
Verstappen would need to finish this weekend with at least 22 points more than the Monegasque and at least 13 more than his Mexican teammate to win the championship with five races remaining after Singapore.
