Singapore GP 2026: Russell tops split-spec test

George Russell led Singapore practice from Charles Leclerc, as reports said Mercedes split car specifications and McLaren addressed Lando Norris’ fuel issue.

George Russell was fastest in the only practice session of the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, with BBC Sport reporting he led Charles Leclerc. Autosport and Motorsport.com also reported that Max Verstappen was about half a second quicker than anyone else on medium tyres, despite Russell setting the quickest overall lap. Russell arrived second in the drivers' championship on 236 points, while Verstappen was sixth on 188.

Mercedes used Singapore to compare two specifications. Motorsport.com and RaceFans reported that Russell ran the older Mercedes package, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli stayed with the updated version. Antonelli leads the championship on 320 points, so the team had a direct reference across both sides of the garage.

McLaren also brought changes for Lando Norris' Mercedes power unit. Autosport, Motorsport.com and RaceFans reported the team made peripheral adjustments in an attempt to fix a recurring fuel system problem that Norris said had hurt his straight-line speed in recent races. Norris started the weekend fifth in the standings on 188 points.