BERLIN, Oct 4 — Max Verstappen topped a tight final practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix where he aims to continue his comeback mission in the Formula 1 title race, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

Four-times reigning champion Verstappen clocked one minute 30.148 seconds on the 4.927 kilometres Marina Bay Street Circuit in his Red Bull on Saturday.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren was a close second, .017 of a second adrift, ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

Lando Norris had the same time as Antonelli, .089 behind Verstappen, but was ranked fifth because he set it later than his rival in a close session where the top five were separated by less than one-tenth – promising exciting qualifying later Saturday.

Verstappen, who was third in the first two practice sessions on Friday, has moved within 69 points of Piastri and 44 of Norris in the drivers’ championship by winning the last two races in Italy and Azerbaijan.

Piastri aims to bounce back from crashing out in Baku and failing to score a point for the first time this season.

Verstappen’s wins in the last two races have opened up the title race again with seven grands prix left.

McLaren, however, can claim a second straight constructors’ title on Sunday. They need to score at least 13 points to clinch it on their own without depending on results from other teams.

Lewis Hamilton was eighth in the final practice and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, 10th. 

But Hamilton possibly faces a penalty over a suspected red flag infringement.

The session was halted after around 15 minutes when Liam Lawson crashed his Racing Bull into the barriers for the second time in as many days. — Bernama-dpa