The Singapore Grand Prix final practice session took an unexpected turn on Saturday when a large monitor lizard decided to make a leisurely stroll across the race track, causing a brief delay.
As Formula One marshals scrambled to catch the rogue reptile, drivers watched on with amusement. The lizard, a familiar sight in Singapore, seemed unfazed by the commotion, even showing a burst of speed as it was chased.
The incident occurred shortly after the start of the session, with only Aston Martin teammates Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll on the track at that time. Alonso was alerted to the unexpected obstacle in the final sector, prompting a playful exchange over the team radio.
“We are told the track is clear but just have a look for the lizard,” Alonso was told.
“No, it’s in the middle of the track,” he replied, skirting the lizard and heading back to the pit lane.
Sky television commentator David Croft, adding to the lighthearted atmosphere, dubbed the lizard “Larry”, suggesting it possessed the same purposeful stride as Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll.
The interruption was brief, and practice resumed soon after. Lizards have become a recurring theme at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase dubbing a particularly large specimen “Godzilla” in 2016. When a smaller lizard appeared during last year’s practice, Lambiase quipped, “maybe Godzilla had a kid.”
According to Singapore’s National Parks’ Board, monitor lizards are typically shy, unless cornered. They are also diurnal, meaning they sleep at night – a welcome relief for the organizers of the night race.
