Piastri Leads Japanese GP Practice as McLaren Surpasses Mercedes; Ferrari, Red Bull Struggle
Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. McLaren ran ahead of early-season championship leaders Mercedes in that session. The result marked a stronger opening day for McLaren after a difficult start to the year.
Practice Two at Suzuka
Piastri stopped the clock at 1:30.133. He finished ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and world championship leader George Russell. The session produced mixed fortunes across the field.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:30.133 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.092 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.205 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.516 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.713 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.847 |
| 7 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.308 |
| 8 | Alex Albon | Williams | +1.363 |
| 9 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.365 |
| 10 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +1.376 |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.399 |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.457 |
| 13 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.475 |
| 14 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.601 |
| 15 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | +1.626 |
| 16 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.800 |
| 17 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +2.305 |
| 18 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +2.482 |
| 19 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +3.463 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +3.556 |
| 21 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +3.818 |
| 22 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | No time set |
McLaren momentum
McLaren produced a clear one-lap pace today. Piastri led the way, with Norris fourth despite setbacks. The team had not brought major aero updates this weekend.
Crew and pundits noted improvement. Sky Sports voices described McLaren as closer to Mercedes. The team aims to build on that progress in FP3 and qualifying.
Ferrari and Red Bull problems
Ferrari lagged over seven tenths from the top in the session. Charles Leclerc finished fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth. Hamilton reported low confidence in the car during later runs.
Red Bull struggled more severely. Max Verstappen was down in 10th, and Isack Hadjar sat 15th. The upgraded RB22 showed grip issues around Suzuka.
Midfield action and technical troubles
The midfield closed in on the top teams. Nico Hulkenberg, Alex Albon and Oliver Bearman split positions seven to nine. Several drivers ran into mechanical problems.
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad completed only one lap in FP2 after gearshift trouble. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto ran just ten laps due to an issue.
What to expect this weekend
- Saturday, March 28: Practice Three at 2:30am, followed by qualifying buildup at 5:00am and qualifying at 6:00am.
- Sunday, March 29: Race day coverage begins at 4:30am, with the Grand Prix at 6:00am.
Filmogaz.com will monitor Suzuka through the rest of the weekend. Expect FP3 to clarify whether McLaren’s pace holds. Qualifying will show how teams adapt to the track demands.
