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Three practice sessions of F1 conclude, fierce qualifying expected

Xinhua, September 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Various results came out as the three practice sessions of Formula One concluded here on Saturday.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel topped in the third practice session, while Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat stood out in the second one and Mercedes' Nico Rosberg made a great start in the first session. Fierce competition were expected in the upcoming qualifying tonight.

In the third practice session, Ferrari's Vettel topped the standings with a time of 1 minute and 45.682 seconds, followed by his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. While Red Bull's Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo ranked the third and fourth respectively. However, Lewis Hamilton only finished in the fifth with his Mercedes team-mate Rosberg followed.

In the first practice session took place on Friday, Mercedes made a great start as Rosberg went fastest with a time of 1 minute and 47.995 seconds, followed by his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, only 0.319 seconds behind. Red Bull's Ricciardo looked ominous, ranking the third with a time of 1 minute and 48.331 seconds. While American Alexander Rossi had a tough debut when he smashed into the barriers late in the first session, leaving the right-front suspension looked to be quite badly damaged.

Red Bull's Kvyat upstaged record-seeking Lewis Hamilton when he timed quickest in smog-hit second practice session with a leading time of 1 minute and 46. 142 seconds, just 0.039 seconds ahead Raikkonen in the Ferraris, who ranked the second. Red Bull's Ricciardo followed up in the third.

After Friday's two sessions, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said the team wasn't happy with the performance as they haven't really made the tyre in the way they should on the one-lap performance or the long run either.

Singapore Grand Prix is the Round 13 of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship, which is the only street racing held at night in the world, with gorgeous night scene around the current Marina Bay Street Circuit.

The track is 5.065 kilometers long with 23 corners spread over. This year, the track has been realigned between turns 10 and 13, and now uses the left hand side of the Anderson Bridge. Besides the enclosed nature of the track with many corners, the high temperatures in Singapore also challenged the drivers.

Should Lewis Hamilton take pole position on Saturday, he would match the record of most consecutive poles set by Senna, who took eight in a row between the Spanish Grand Prix of 1988 and the 1989 U.S. Grand Prix in Phoenix.

Hamilton has been in control of the Drivers' Championship standings with 53 points in hand over nearest rival, Mercedes' Rosberg. The Briton also carries the momentum of two consecutive wins with him into this week. Ferrari's Vettel ranked the third place with 178 points.

As for the constructors' championship standings, Mercedes AMG Petronas has anchored the first place with 451 points, followed by Scuderia Ferrari and Williams Martini Racing, gaining 270 points and 188 points respectively. Endi