American rookie Jak Crawford made a positive F1 practice debut for Aston Martin at Suzuka, quickly getting up to speed despite no prior experience with the car or circuit. His run provided crucial simulator correlation data for the team, marking a solid step in his development as a reserve driver.
Audi F1 project chief Mattia Binotto admits Jonathan Wheatley's sudden exit as team principal was a major surprise, forcing an immediate reshuffle. Binotto will step in temporarily while the team regroups, with Wheatley strongly linked to a move to Aston Martin, dealing a setback to Audi's preparation for its 2026 entry.
Lewis Hamilton revealed his dream to own a Samurai sword from 'Kill Bill' after a training session in Japan with the film's choreographer. He connected the experience to the discipline learned from childhood karate, highlighting a personal cultural journey alongside his F1 career.
Ferrari's Sporting Director admits the team has work to do after McLaren set the pace in Friday practice at Suzuka. Oscar Piastri led FP2 for McLaren, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and a still-uncomfortable Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and sixth, highlighting a potential qualifying deficit.
Cadillac Racing showed signs of progress during Japanese GP practice after introducing car upgrades. Valtteri Bottas reported a more stable car and, crucially, his first issue-free Friday, allowing the team to focus on performance. While still far from the front, the clean running marks an important step in the new team's development.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri led Friday practice at Suzuka, challenging Mercedes' early-season dominance. While the team's one-lap speed suggests a potential qualifying upset, data reveals a significant race pace deficit that Mercedes is favored to exploit on Sunday, with Ferrari looming as a threat for the podium.
Mercedes' George Russell endorsed F1's decision to cut the qualifying energy limit at the Japanese GP to combat 'super-clipping' but argued for an even stricter reduction. He believes a greater cut would lessen extreme speed swings and create a fairer lap-time comparison, highlighting an ongoing debate over energy management in qualifying.
Red Bull's significant aerodynamic upgrade at Suzuka, featuring redesigned sidepods and engine cover, has not resolved the RB22's fundamental handling instability. The car remains unpredictable and sensitive to setup, suggesting deeper integration issues between its aerodynamics and suspension dynamics that the team has yet to fully understand.
Haas rookie Oliver Bearman says Formula 1's energy recovery rules have transformed the driving experience at Japan's Suzuka circuit, turning once flat-out "balls to the wall" corners into zones requiring careful power management and creating a "painful" loss of speed on straights.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri led a competitive Friday practice at the Japanese GP, putting pressure on Mercedes. A concerned Lewis Hamilton gave a negative review of his car's handling, highlighting Mercedes' ongoing struggles as the battle for best-of-the-rest intensifies behind Red Bull.
McLaren has identified and fixed the Mercedes power unit battery fault that forced Lando Norris to miss the Chinese GP start, requiring a new energy store. The team, while frustrated, is confident the issue won't repeat as it seeks a clean weekend in Japan to recover lost ground.
Friday practice in Suzuka highlighted a strategic energy management split between McLaren and Mercedes, exposed the ongoing challenges of the 2026 power units on the iconic circuit, and confirmed Red Bull's worrying lack of pace as it languishes in the midfield for the second straight weekend.
