F1 Singapore Grand Prix: Vettel lays down marker in second practice

Defending triple world champion Sebastian Vettel led a Red Bull Racing 1-2 in second practice for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay street circuit with a time of 1:44.249. Trailing Vettel by 0.604 seconds was his teammate Mark Webber who was ahead of the Mercedes AMG pair of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and Lotus F1's Romain Grosjean.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, McLaren's Jenson Button, Lotus F1's Kimi Raikkonen, Force India's Adrian Sutil and McLaren's Sergio Perez rounded out the top ten of a session run in hot and humid conditions despite it being run at 8:00 pm local time.

Vettel and Webber's pace at the Marina Bay street circuit suggests another win for the German and possibly another double podium finish for the Austrian team. The Mercedes AMG cars of Hamilton and Rosberg may be their closest challengers for pole and the win given that their last two victories came at similarly tight and twisty circuits at Hungary and Monaco.

The Lotus F1 of Raikkonen may be a threat in the race too despite the team losing momentum at races in Belgium and Italy where the Finn didn't manage to score a single point.

Raikkonen's future Ferrari teammate Alonso is generally not discounted for victory at any F1 venue if the Spaniard has a reasonably competitive car. Alonso, along with Vettel has won two editions of the night race since its inclusion in the F1 calendar in 2008.

Lewis Hamilton is the other driver besides Alonso and Vettel to have won at Marina Bay.