Mercedes Tops FP1 at Suzuka as Rivals Lure Close Behind

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli led a strong one-two finish in the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, but the chasing pack from McLaren and Ferrari remained within three-tenths of a second. Max Verstappen, running a significantly upgraded Red Bull, could only manage seventh, over seven-tenths off the pace on the same tire compound as the leaders, setting the stage for a potentially competitive weekend at Suzuka.

Why it matters:

The opening practice session suggests a potential shift in the competitive order, with Mercedes showing immediate one-lap pace at a high-downforce circuit where they have traditionally struggled. The close proximity of McLaren and Ferrari indicates the fight at the front could be a multi-team affair, while Red Bull's substantial upgrade package failing to deliver an instant performance leap raises questions about their development direction and the effectiveness of the new parts.

The details:

• George Russell set the benchmark with a 1:28.450, just 0.087 seconds ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli.
• The lead quartet from McLaren and Ferrari—Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton—were all clustered within 0.3 seconds of Russell's time.
• Max Verstappen's seventh-place finish, 0.754s off the pace, came despite Red Bull introducing a major aerodynamic upgrade for this event, focusing on a new floor and bodywork.
• Teams primarily focused on data gathering with the 2026-spec tires, making single-lap performance comparisons indicative but not fully representative of race-trim competitiveness.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Free Practice 2 to see if the competitive order holds. The session will be crucial for teams to validate their FP1 findings, conduct longer runs to understand tire degradation on the demanding Suzuka circuit, and fine-tune their setups for qualifying and the race. Verstappen and Red Bull will be under particular scrutiny to extract more performance from their new package, while Mercedes will aim to prove their FP1 pace was not a fluke.