P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Verstappen completes practice sweep as Norris closes in
Max Verstappen was the fastest in all practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix, but Lando Norris closed the gap in second place. Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri made considerable gains in the first sector. Verstappen, however, increased his lead in the final two-thirds of the lap, indicating that Red Bull has prioritized straight-line speed. Sergio Perez finished fourth, but was still behind Verstappen by 0.737s. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggled, making no improvements overnight, while Lewis Hamilton seemed happier with his Mercedes, only 0.022s behind Sainz. Fernando Alonso was in ninth place, followed closely by Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas. Yuki Tsunoda was blocked by Kevin Magnussen, but managed to secure 14th place. Alex Albon had brake issues and finished 18th, and Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly had slower times.
Source: Racer
