Piastri Tops FP2 in Suzuka, Beats Mercedes Duo

Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, edging out Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The McLaren driver's lap on soft tires was just 0.092 seconds quicker than Chinese GP winner Antonelli, while his teammate Lando Norris recovered from a hydraulic issue to finish fourth, over half a second back.

Why it matters:

Free Practice 2 is often the most representative session of a race weekend, making Piastri's pace a strong signal for McLaren's potential. Antonelli's impressive performance continues his standout rookie season, keeping Mercedes firmly in the fight at the front. The session also highlighted the early struggles for reigning champion Max Verstappen and the reliability headaches facing several teams on a demanding circuit.

The details:

• McLaren's mixed session: While Piastri topped the timesheets, teammate Lando Norris lost significant track time. A hydraulics issue kept his car in the garage for the first 23 minutes of the hour-long session, limiting his setup work.
• Widespread reliability concerns: Several other drivers faced problems. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) reported issues immediately after leaving the pits, Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) watched as his team worked on the power unit, and Sergio Perez (Cadillac) was delayed while his floor was repaired after damage in FP1.
• Traffic trouble: Alpine's Franco Colapinto will visit the stewards for weaving on the back straight and impeding Max Verstappen, an incident that frustrated the Red Bull driver.
• The full order: The top ten was completed by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), Alex Albon (Williams), and Oliver Bearman (Haas). Verstappen could only manage 10th, 1.3 seconds off the pace.
  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

What's next:

Teams will analyze the data overnight, with a critical final practice session (FP3) set to fine-tune setups before qualifying. All eyes will be on whether McLaren's single-lap pace is genuine and if Red Bull can solve Verstappen's balance issues. With overtaking difficult at Suzuka, grid position is paramount, setting the stage for a high-stakes Saturday qualifying battle.