P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What we learned from Friday practice at the F1 Japanese GP
Max Verstappen’s impressive performance in both practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix indicated that Red Bull’s struggle in Singapore was just a minor setback. Verstappen dominated FP1, finishing 0.6s ahead of Carlos Sainz, who had won in Singapore, while Ferrari showed their resurgence by taking the second spot. In FP2, Verstappen continued his strong form, beating Charles Leclerc by a margin of 0.3s, with Lando Norris also showing McLaren’s potential as a podium contender. However, Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez had a difficult day, finishing far behind in both sessions. Lewis Hamilton had predicted Red Bull’s strength and it seems his assessment was accurate, as Verstappen had a clear advantage throughout the practice sessions. McLaren struggled in slower corners, while Mercedes showed some promise with George Russell finishing fifth. Overall, Verstappen and Ferrari were the standout performers on Friday.
Source: motorsport
