F1 Japanese GP live commentary and updates: FP2
Follow along for updates from second practice at the Japanese Grand Prix
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So McLaren on top – for now! We'll see what happens at the end of FP3 tomorrow when Mercedes turns the wick up. Join us then...
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Lars Baron / LAT Images via Getty Images
THAT'S IT FROM FP2
Nobody improves on the time Oscar Piastri set mid-session so he remains atop the timesheets with that 1m30.133s.
Kimi Antonelli came closest, just 0.092s off, while George Russell was two tenths away.
The Ferraris will be disappointed to be as far away as they are, while it was a mixed session for Audi: Nico Hulkenberg was P7, but Gabriel Bortoleto managed just 11 laps in total owing to a gearbox change.
Indeed, that P7 may look impressive on the surface but it was 1.3s off the absolute pace. That speaks partly to the track being very busy during the mid-session period where almost everybody decided to do a qualifying simulation.
Max Verstappen (P10) bailed out of that early and spent the latter part of the session grinding out an 18-lap race simulation on hard-compound Pirellis.
Verstappen and Franco Colapinto have been summoned to the stewards to talk through that 'erratic driving' incident earlier on. I suggest the stewards close their DMs now...
"I am very slow because I have no confidence in the car," reports Lewis Hamilton. He's currently P6, with a fastest lap eight tenths shy of Piastri's benchmark, and has just finished a five-lap stint on the same mediums he ran earlier.
Norris now on soft tyres and looking for a push lap. 1m30.649s, 0.516s off teammate Piastri. He got an epic twitch as he got on the power at the chicane exit.
Apologies for being the bearer of 'blad tidings. The game is up for Arvid Lindblad – the gearbox issue can't be fixed in time for him to rejoin the fray.
McLaren confirm it was investigating a potential hydraulics issue on Norris's car, while Perez's exit from the garage was delayed while his car was repaired after that earlier clash with Albon.
Bortoleto now out of the garage and straight into performance lappery on softs.
Not a very profitable quali sim run for Max Verstappen, who is currently P10 and 1.376s off Piastri's benchmark. He's now back on the hard-compound tyres.
Always difficult to tell with Red Bull – it doesn't like to show its hand on Fridays but it's only in the hunt for third-best car at the moment.
You can also see in the image below the new, slimmer sidepod treatment with only the mandatory side-impact spar protruding.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Norris returns to the track and does a 1m31.430s – 1.297s off his teammate's time, but he's on mediums.
Leclerc and Hamilton 0.713s and 1.007s off Piastri at the moment. Charles might actually have improved on his time on his second push lap, but the onboards reveal he had traffic as he exited the chicane.
Now we get a replay of the Colapinto incident (sounds like a rejected title for a Robert Ludlum continuation novel). He was weaving to warm his tyres in the final sector, on the run-up to 130R, as Max Verstappen came up quickly behind on a push lap.
So either Franco wasn't paying attention or the Alpine pitwall failed to give him the heads-up.
Russell posts a 1m30.338s in response but Antonelli is closer, with 1m30.225s. The Italian is now back out for another go.
Meanwhile Norris has emerged from the pits but only completed two laps before parking his McLaren again.
Getting more serious now as the frontrunners bolt on the soft rubber for some qualifying sims. And, lo, Piastri shaves over a second off his best time on the mediums to go fastest so far: 1m30.133s.
IT IS HE
And Charles Leclerc posts the fastest lap so far, 1m31.019s. Over half a second faster than the quickest time in FP1.
Bortoleto also now out of his car, which has the engine cover off. Just two laps in the bag for him. Still no sign of Norris or Perez leaving their garages.
Franco Colapinto, meanwhile, has been 'noted' for 'driving erratically' according to the data screen. Hey, don't shoot the messenger...
Alex Albon's Williams briefly ground to a halt at Turn 1. He reported zero power when he applied the throttle, but a control reset appears to have cured the problem – well, enough to get moving again. Another illustration of the systems in these cars very much being in beta.
Lindblad is now out of the car, which is up on stands while the team investigates the gear selection problem he reported earlier.
Antonelli first to put in a reasonably quick lap, a 1m31.568s, but teammate Russell responds with a 1m31.568s then Piastri goes top with 1m31.495s. Still a way to go before we get to 2025 peak pace, but that's not bad for mediums.
All but four cars on track at the moment. All on medium Pirellis apart from Hadjar, Verstappen, Hulkenberg and Gasly on hards, and Alonso on softs.
Lindblad, Bortoleto, Norris and Perez are in the garage. The Racing Bulls and Audi cars have been out; Lindblad was told to box owing to an issue with the anti-stall kicking in.
Pierre Gasly having a bit of a moment in the pitlane as the Williams of Alex Albon exits the garage in front of him. Wakey wakey, kids!
Trouble for Lando Norris: the McLaren is still in the garage, on stands, with the nose and engine cover off. The rear end of the car is the focus of attention.
AND WE'RE OFF
Lewis Hamilton is first to exit the pitlane as FP2 gets under way.
TROUBLE FOR LANDO NORRIS
The McLaren is up on its stands in the garage and in a state of disassembly with mechanics rummaging around the rear.
WELCOME BACK TO SUZUKA
We're back and rolling for FP2 in Japan. Not the most eventful first practice earlier, but there was a brief blunder for Sergio Perez as he took up his line for the chicane without realising Alex Albon was shaping up to pass him. Results below...
Alexander Albon, Williams, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing crash
Photo by: Martin Trenkler
By: Stuart Codling
