Oscar Piastri Leads F1 Championship After Strong Singapore Practice Bounceback

Oscar Piastri, the current Formula One championship leader, bounced back strongly at the Singapore Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap time in practice and putting behind his disappointing performance in Azerbaijan. Piastri clocked a 1:30.714 lap under the lights at Marina Bay, outpacing his nearest rivals including teammate Lando Norris, who struggled with a pit lane collision caused by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and ended the session fifth fastest. Norris admitted his driving was off and lamented the incident that damaged his McLaren, while Ferrari was fined for an unsafe release. Max Verstappen, a key championship contender, posted the third-best time but remains 69 points behind Piastri. The Singapore race has a storied history, including the infamous 2008 'Crashgate' scandal involving deliberate crashing to aid teammate Fernando Alonso, who is still competitive in the field. Piastri aims to extend his championship lead while learning from recent setbacks, with his McLaren team eager to capitalize on strong pace and avoid further errors.