Outgoing Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen led the way during second practice for Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix, as team-mate Sebastian Vettel hit the wall.
Raikkonen set a new track record of 1:38.699 beneath the floodlights as the field found substantial gains upon switching to the pink-banded Hypersofts, compared to the Ultrasofts and Softs.
Raikkonen’s lap left him a mere 0.011s clear of reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who recovered from an early off at Turn 14 that almost resulted in him hitting title rival Vettel.
In Full: Singapore FP2 results
Four-time Singapore winner Vettel, striving to overturn Hamilton’s 30-point advantage, compromised his preparations for the weekend by hitting the wall on his Hypersoft effort.
Vettel clipped the Turn 21 exit wall with both the front-right and rear-right of his SF71H and immediately ducked into the pit lane for Ferrari to assess the damage and undertake repairs.
It proved to be his last contribution to the session as he did not re-emerge from the garage, leaving him unable to partake in the race simulation phase, and he finished the session down in ninth place, courtesy of his earlier Ultrasoft effort.
Red Bull took third and fourth, with Max Verstappen in front of Daniel Ricciardo, albeit both over half a second behind pacesetter Raikkonen.
Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was fifth after running extremely wide through Turn 23 on his Hypersoft effort.
Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jr. led the midfield group in sixth place, a tenth of a second in front of Haas’ Romain Grosjean, who held a similarly slender gap over McLaren’s Fernando Alonso.
Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10 for Renault, behind the aforementioned Vettel, with the Force India and Sauber quartet next up: Sergio Perez leading Marcus Ericsson, who spun through Turn 5, Esteban Ocon and FP1 crasher Charles Leclerc.
Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne both trailed their respective Haas and McLaren team-mates as they wound up 15th and 16th, as Toro Rosso and Williams finished at the rear of the field.
Brendon Hartley edged Pierre Gasly as both finished almost half a second adrift of nearest rival Vandoorne.
The Toro Rosso drivers held a similar buffer over tail enders Williams.
Lance Stroll was compromised by a brake fire on the rear-right of his FW41, while team-mate Sergey Sirotkin brought up the rear of the 20-car field.
