P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen kept Red Bull on top in second practice for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, though Charles Leclerc close to halved Ferrari’s deficit from FP1
Max Verstappen maintained Red Bull’s dominance in the second practice session for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc closing the gap for Ferrari. Verstappen set an impressive lap time, going faster than in the first session, and initially it seemed like Red Bull’s reign might be challenged. However, Leclerc and Lando Norris managed to beat Verstappen’s time before the Dutch driver responded with an even faster lap, establishing a significant lead. George Russell and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top six, followed by Alex Albon and Oscar Piastri. Sergio Perez continued to struggle, finishing over a second behind Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton had a difficult session, with concerns about car damage and a lap time over a second slower than the Red Bull driver. The session ended early due to Pierre Gasly crashing his Alpine.
Source: The Race
