Ahead of the Japanese GP, Lewis Hamilton surprised local car enthusiasts by arriving at a Yokohama meet in a rare Ferrari F40. He spent his weekend immersing himself in Japanese car culture and even took a samurai lesson, highlighting his deep appreciation for the country's traditions and automotive scene.
Red Bull's dramatic performance drop has continued in Japan, with Max Verstappen struggling for pace and grip. The team admits it doesn't fully understand the car's unpredictable behavior, marking a stark contrast to their recent dominant years.
Friday practice at the Japanese GP revealed a three-pronged story: McLaren showed surprising pace to challenge Mercedes in qualifying, Max Verstappen's father voiced concerns about his son's fading motivation amid Red Bull's struggles, and shocking telemetry exposed extreme 'super-clipping' issues causing massive speed losses for drivers at Suzuka.
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.
Red Bull's chief engineer admits the team's Friday practice performance at Suzuka fell short of its own and Max Verstappen's high standards, citing handling issues despite a major upgrade package. The team is now racing to fix the car's balance problems before qualifying.
Red Bull's Laurent Mekies promises a swift fix for the team's 'fundamental' car issues after Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar endured a frustrating Friday in Japan, with the RB22 lagging far behind its rivals and still not fully understood by its engineers.
Oscar Piastri topped second practice for the Japanese GP, narrowly beating Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and signaling a tightly packed qualifying battle under F1's 2026 rules. The session revealed a close fight between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari, setting the stage for a critical Saturday at Suzuka where dry conditions are forecast.
Honda reports progress on the severe vibration issues with its Aston Martin power unit after collecting "useful data" at the Japanese GP. However, the team's core problem of a drastic lack of pace remains unresolved, leaving the car uncompetitive at the back of the grid.
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.
Max Verstappen's Suzuka pole position streak is under serious threat as Red Bull lagged over a second behind in practice. Qualifying for the 2026 Japanese GP starts at 15:00 local time (06:00 UK) on Saturday, with McLaren and Mercedes looking to capitalize and reshape the early title fight.
Honda's president attributes Aston Martin's current performance woes to a two-year break in Honda's F1 activities, which delayed development and organizational rebuilding under new regulations. The partnership is now focused on a step-by-step recovery.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets in Japanese GP practice, but Mercedes' devastating long-run pace makes them the true favorites. Ferrari trails as a distant second force, while Red Bull's average pace slumped behind Haas and Alpine, highlighting a severe performance crisis.
