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's Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in second practice for the Japanese GP, but the team quickly dismissed it as misleading. Officials expect Mercedes and Ferrari to reassert their usual speed advantage when qualifying and the race begin, emphasizing that the true competitive order has not changed.
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.
F1's 2026 prototype cars revealed a significant flaw at the Japanese Grand Prix, with drivers forced to coast and lose massive speed on Suzuka's straights due to aggressive energy recovery rules. While a last-minute change mitigated the issue, drivers and observers agree the current formula risks undermining the circuit's legendary challenge.
Lewis Hamilton admitted Ferrari lacks the pace to fight at the front after a challenging Friday at Suzuka, citing car balance issues and a straight-line speed deficit. The team trails McLaren by over seven-tenths and is working overnight to find a better setup ahead of qualifying.
Red Bull's RB22 is overweight by approximately 10kg, costing crucial lap time, but a targeted update package for the Miami GP aims to cut mass and restore performance, countering earlier rumors of a larger deficit.
Haas driver Ollie Bearman says watching former F2 teammate Kimi Antonelli claim his first F1 win was 'very special' and gives him confidence he can do the same. Bearman, who is fifth in the standings, highlighted their similar skill level and called Antonelli's Chinese GP performance 'incredible.'
Lando Norris voiced his frustration after a hydraulics leak and limited running left him short of vital laps during Friday practice for the Japanese GP. The McLaren driver, who finished the day fourth but behind his teammate, stated he is multiple steps behind on setup and lacking confidence heading into the rest of the weekend at the challenging Suzuka circuit.
Lewis Hamilton criticized a severe 'super clipping' power issue at the Japanese GP, forcing drivers to coast into corners at Suzuka. Teammate George Russell agreed, suggesting the FIA's last-minute energy reduction wasn't enough to solve the disruptive problem that marred an otherwise great driving circuit.
Honda's boss has responded to Adrian Newey's concerns about a lack of experienced personnel on their 2026 F1 project, labeling it a misunderstanding. Watanabe explained Honda's policy of rotating engineers and insists the organization now has sufficient talent, even as the Aston Martin partnership grapples with severe vibration problems that have led to early retirements.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull endured a dismal Friday at the Japanese GP, with the champion admitting to "big problems" after struggling for pace and balance. He finished 10th in practice, over 1.3 seconds off the lead, casting serious doubt on his weekend prospects and highlighting the team's ongoing struggles in F1's new era.
The FIA did not penalize Mercedes for a flexing front wing on the W17, determining it was an unintentional mechanical fault with no performance gain. The governing body emphasized a consistent, cooperative approach to minor technical irregularities as teams adapt to new regulations, asking for a fix rather than issuing a penalty.
