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.
Red Bull's chief engineer Paul Monaghan humorously asked Lewis Hamilton to rescue him from a tricky media briefing after a poor first practice in Japan. The joke highlighted Red Bull's unusual struggle for pace, with Max Verstappen finishing FP1 in 10th place, over a second off the lead. The team now faces a critical overnight effort to solve balance issues before qualifying.
McLaren showed surprising one-lap speed in Japanese GP practice, threatening Mercedes in qualifying. However, data reveals a significant race pace gap favoring Mercedes, with Ferrari poised to challenge for the podium. Red Bull's struggles continue deep into the 2026 season.
Jos Verstappen reveals his fear that son Max is losing his love for F1, citing car regulations that diminish the role of driver skill and bravery. He warns that the champion's motivation is waning, which could impact his future in the sport beyond his current contract.
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.
Guenther Steiner believes Mercedes' early-season dominance is not guaranteed for the entire 2026 F1 season. He predicts a fierce development race will allow other teams, particularly McLaren, to close the gap by learning more about their cars and power units as the year progresses.
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 Racing has denied reports that it summoned Max Verstappen for a meeting after he ejected a British journalist from his press session in Japan. Team sources confirm no disciplinary talk with boss Laurent Mekies occurred, contradicting earlier media claims about the team's response to the incident.
