Max Verstappen fastest in tight final practice ahead of Singapore Grand Prix qualifying
Lando Norris, 25 points behind Piastri in the title race with seven rounds remaining, finished fifth, 0.089 sec off the pace.
Max Verstappen raised hope of securing pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix and keeping his championship hopes alive by finishing fastest in final practice.
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Verstappen, who trails Oscar Piastri by 69 points in the standings, saw off the Australian by just 0.017 seconds at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
George Russell took third place for Mercedes, only half-a-tenth back and one place ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
Lando Norris, 25 points behind Piastri in the title race with seven rounds remaining, finished fifth, 0.089 sec off the pace.
Liam Lawson’s troubled weekend continued after he crashed out of a second practice session in a row.
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Lawson hit the wall at the penultimate corner on Friday and on Saturday he was in the barriers again, this time at turn seven.
The New Zealander’s crash led to a suspension with Lewis Hamilton, who finished eighth, four tenths slower than Verstappen, being investigated for a subsequent red-flag infringement.
Qualifying takes place at 21:00 local time (14:00 BST).
It follows claims that former team principal Christian Horner has been in contact with “pretty much every team owner” in Formula One, Aston Martin chief Andy Cowell has claimed.
Horner is plotting his return to the F1 paddock after reaching a settlement with Red Bull which allows him to make his comeback next year.
Horner, who was ousted by Red Bull in July, has been linked with a move to Aston Martin which would see him work once again with design guru Adrian Newey.