Chaos as monitor lizard disrupts Singapore GP final practice

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

In an unexpected turn of events, a monitor lizard caused a brief stoppage of the final practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday. The reptile made its appearance on the track at Turn 17, prompting race control to issue a red flag and temporarily suspend the session to ensure the safety of all participants.

Television cameras quickly spotted the lizard, and marshals were dispatched to safely escort the intruder off the circuit. The session resumed shortly after, without any further disruptions.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso encountered the lizard on the exit of Turn 17, just as his race engineer had alerted him to its presence in the final sector. "It's in the middle of the track," Alonso reported over the team radio before heading back to the pits.

Monitor lizards are a familiar sight in Singapore, and their presence on the track is not unprecedented. A similar incident occurred last year during the Friday practice session. According to Singapore's National Parks' Board, these lizards are usually shy and should be observed from a distance unless they are cornered or chased.

Singapore is home to three native species of monitor lizards, with the Malayan water monitor being the largest, capable of growing up to three meters in length. Although these lizards secrete venom to subdue their prey, it is not harmful to humans. As diurnal creatures, they are active during the day and take refuge at night. Notably, all sightings of monitor lizards on the race track have occurred during sessions just before sunset.

The incident reminded many of a memorable event in 2016 when another large monitor lizard made its way onto the track during the final practice. Dubbed "Godzilla" by Max Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, the reptilian invader became part of the race weekend lore.

While the appearance of wildlife on the track certainly adds an element of unpredictability to the race weekend, it highlights the unique challenges and surprises that come with racing in the heart of Singapore.

Up Next