P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2 in FP1, Sargeant crashes
Following Logan Sargeant’s crash that led to a red flag-enforced break, the Red Bull driver set an impressive lap time of 1m30.056s on soft tires, establishing himself as a strong contender for the weekend. Teams seemed to focus on longer runs during FP1 to prepare for potential adverse weather conditions at Suzuka, delaying faster runs on the soft tire. Lando Norris initially led the way, but was later matched by Fernando Alonso before Max Verstappen took the lead with a lap time of 1m31.463s on hard tires. Lewis Hamilton later claimed the top spot on softs, showcasing his speed over his rivals. The session was briefly halted due to Logan Sargeant’s crash, raising concerns over potential damage to the Williams car. Verstappen reclaimed the top position after the break, followed closely by teammate Sergio Perez, setting the pace for the rest of the session.
