Max Verstappen 'face to face with Godzilla' as lizard invades Singapore GP

Formula 1 drivers carry out their profession knowing the risks of such a thrilling sport, but a meeting with 'Godzilla' is not usually one of them.

Red Bull's 18-year-old rising star Max Verstappen had a near miss with what he called a 'giant lizard' during practice for the Singapore GP, with the huge reptile seen scampering across the track this morning.

Verstappen reported the track invader to his Red Bull team with the words: "Woah, there's a giant lizard on the track!" before his race engineer quipped: "You came face to face with Godzilla then."

But it seems the freak meeting may have only spurred on the young Belgian-Dutch driver, who recovered from the curious ordeal to clock a time of 1:47.038 to go second in the standings behind Nico Rosberg.

Rosberg's Mercedes Lewis Hamilton sat ninth at midday following a frustrating weekend, forced to head down the escape road at Turn 7 after more problems for the title-chasing Briton.