Aston Martin discovered Honda's 2026 F1 power unit project was far from ready only in late 2025, long after their partnership was announced. Honda cites a 'misunderstanding,' as post-Red Bull era restructuring and engineer rotation led to delays. The team now races to fix reliability issues that didn't appear in simulations.
Lewis Hamilton revealed Ferrari is struggling with straight-line speed and energy deployment, citing a four-tenths deficit to McLaren on the main straight in Barcelona after an FP2 session where he felt uncomfortable. He identified deployment optimization and setup work as key areas for immediate improvement.
Max Verstappen set the pace for Red Bull in Japanese GP practice, but Ferrari's Carlos Sainz closed to within two-tenths in the second session, signaling a potentially closer fight at the front. McLaren and Mercedes appear closely matched in the battle for best of the rest at the demanding Suzuka Circuit.
Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in second practice for the Japanese GP, but Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli stole headlines by going second quickest, just 0.092s behind. The session raised questions about Red Bull's pace, with Max Verstappen finishing a distant tenth, while McLaren and Mercedes emerged as the early favorites for pole position.
Oscar Piastri led a tight second practice for the Japanese GP, topping the timesheets ahead of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The session hinted at a close fight for qualifying supremacy, though it was disrupted by technical issues for several drivers, including Lando Norris.
Oscar Piastri put McLaren on top in Japanese GP practice, beating both Mercedes drivers and signaling a potential challenge to the early-season leaders. The session was marked by several technical issues for other teams, adding intrigue to the weekend's competitive outlook.
Oscar Piastri led a McLaren one-two in second practice at Suzuka, signaling the team's strong form, while Max Verstappen and Red Bull languished outside the top ten with ongoing car balance issues. Mercedes and Ferrari showed they are in the mix, setting up a potentially tight qualifying battle.
Stewards have taken no further action against Alex Albon for crashing into Sergio Perez in Japanese GP practice, determining the incident resulted from a misunderstanding and a failure by Perez's team to warn him of Albon's rapid approach.
Carlos Sainz has been cleared by stewards after an investigation into whether he deliberately slowed in front of Liam Lawson during Japanese GP practice. Officials accepted his explanation that he was avoiding impeding another car on a fast lap, with team radio evidence supporting his claim.
Max Verstappen endured a difficult Friday at Suzuka, finishing 10th in FP2 and lamenting a severe lack of balance in his Red Bull. The team tried two opposite setups with no success, leaving Verstappen pessimistic about quick fixes for the rest of the Japanese GP weekend.
Aston Martin has subtly changed its tune regarding rumors of hiring ex-Audi director Jonathan Wheatley. While affirming Adrian Newey remains team principal, ambassador Pedro de la Rosa stated a move is "not for the time being," leaving the door open for a future leadership reshuffle that could see Wheatley join and Newey focus purely on technical direction.
Mercedes locked out the top two spots in first practice for the Japanese GP, but McLaren and Ferrari are within three-tenths. A heavily upgraded Red Bull, with Max Verstappen at the wheel, languished in seventh, over seven-tenths behind, signaling a potentially tight and unpredictable weekend at Suzuka.
