McLaren emerged as a potential new rival to Mercedes during Japanese GP practice, with Oscar Piastri topping FP2. Analysts are encouraged by their pace, though Lando Norris faced setbacks, and the true test of their challenge will come in qualifying.
Aston Martin's Pedro de la Rosa has denied immediate plans to hire former Audi boss Jonathan Wheatley, firmly backing Adrian Newey's leadership. While stating the team is happy with its current structure, de la Rosa's "not for the time being" comment leaves future possibilities open as the team battles major technical issues with its 2026 car.
Max Verstappen admits Red Bull has "big problems" with its RB22 after a troubled Friday at the Japanese GP, where he struggled for balance and finished well off the pace of rivals from McLaren and Mercedes.
Fernando Alonso has become a father, with Aston Martin confirming the news as the Spaniard returned to the Suzuka paddock for the Japanese Grand Prix. He missed media duties and a practice session for personal reasons before being welcomed back by the team.
Oscar Piastri put McLaren on top in second practice at Suzuka, breaking Mercedes' early stronghold. The Australian's fastest lap edged out Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, while teammate Lando Norris recovered from a hydraulic issue to finish fourth. The session hinted at a more competitive fight than expected, with Red Bull struggling outside the top ten.
Oscar Piastri led a McLaren one-two in Japanese GP FP2, narrowly beating the Mercedes pair. The session confirmed a large gap between the top three teams and the midfield, where Red Bull again struggled, with Max Verstappen finishing 10th. Lando Norris recovered to fourth after early issues, while Fernando Alonso returned to action.
Oscar Piastri led a McLaren one-two at the top of the FP2 timesheets at Suzuka, beating the Mercedes pair of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The session was marked by limited running for teammate Lando Norris due to a hydraulic issue and various technical problems for other teams, setting the stage for a competitive qualifying battle.
Oscar Piastri led a McLaren one-two at the top of the timesheets in second practice at Suzuka, signaling a potential turnaround for the struggling champions. Mercedes was close behind, but Ferrari and a deeply off-the-pace Red Bull were left trailing on a day that reshuffled the competitive order.
A collision between Alex Albon and Sergio Perez in Japanese GP practice was caused by a perfect storm: Perez's car warning system failed, his team didn't radio him, and Albon misinterpreted his line. The stewards blamed a team communication error and took no action against the drivers.
Williams rookie Franco Colapinto has received a formal warning from the FIA stewards for impeding Max Verstappen during second practice at the Japanese GP. This follows a separate FP1 incident involving Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton that resulted in no further action.
Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto says Jonathan Wheatley's exit as planned team principal was a total surprise, leading to his immediate release. Audi will not appoint a direct successor, choosing instead to internally restructure its leadership during the April break as it prepares for its 2026 entry.
FP2 at Suzuka sees teams fine‑tuning long‑run pace and tyre performance, with the final 20 minutes crucial for race‑simulation data ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix sprint qualifying and Sunday’s race.
