The first day of practice in Japan, though heavily affected by the four red flags that interrupted FP2, still provided some initial verdicts, highlighting an aspect that reflected the expectations going into the weekend: McLaren immediately set the pace, becoming the reference point for all the competitors from the very first session.
There were some uncertainties before the weekend, not so much about the potential of certain cars, but more about how specific elements—like the resurfacing of the first sector—might affect the behavior of the cars, especially those that tend to run a little stiffer or lower.
McLaren, which often positions itself as offering the best compromise with a soft setup that is also effective in the faster sections, seems to have started on the right foot at Suzuka, topping both free practice sessions with a comfortable 4-tenth advantage in FP2.
Looking at the data, it’s clear that McLaren may not be the fastest team on a single lap in the whole pack, but it has excellent balance during the lap, especially in low-speed sections like the hairpin or the final chicane. This is likely due to both setup choices and their ability, already seen in Melbourne, to manage tire wear better over a lap.
It’s hard to draw conclusions, but from what we’ve seen today, the MCL39 looks like the car to beat for the competition. Both drivers were tight-lipped about the car’s actual potential, following a pattern seen in other Grand Prix, but admitted that both the feeling behind the wheel and performance were already at a high level.
“Today was tricky with the resurfaced track and the very strong wind. It was a challenge, the wind really changes the balance, with such strong wind, I don’t think you can have the same car for two laps in a row,” Oscar Piastri commented at the end of FP2, emphasizing how much the wind affected the car’s balance.
On a track like Suzuka, where stability is key, especially in the first sector, not having a “consistent” car that can vary depending on the wind can have a significant impact on lap time.
“I think it was a tough day, obviously FP2 started with all that happened, it was hard to find the rhythm. But by the end of the day, I felt reasonably comfortable, there’s still some adjustments to make, it wasn’t the easiest day,” he added.
“In FP2, I felt more comfortable, but Mercedes also seems quick, they just didn’t extract the potential on the softs. With this kind of session, it’s hard to give a clear reading. But they do have the pace, I’m confident we can have good rhythm for the rest of the weekend, but it’s still early,” said the Australian, noting how Mercedes struggled to make the expected step on the soft tire, although they only had one attempt. However, the team tends to suffer a bit more on Fridays with the softer tire, where managing temperature is key, and then improve by Saturday.
Lando Norris, the teammate, was on the same page and pointed out how, despite the obvious difficulties many drivers faced due to the wind, it was still a positive first day for McLaren in terms of pace.
“Quite good, we’re still in a good position. It was tricky because of the wind, which was very different during the session, especially when you’re going so fast on a track like this, you’re always looking for the limit, especially in the first sector, and the gusts of wind can really destabilize the car,” explained the British driver.
“Everyone struggled with the same issues, but I felt good. We’re in pretty good shape, we’ve made progress, but there are still things to work on. But I’m pretty happy for a Friday.”
“Mercedes looks very strong. Russell was as fast as me this morning, so Mercedes is quick, maybe Red Bull is a bit further behind, but they are always a little further back on Friday and then close in on qualifying,” added McLaren’s representative, who singled out George Russell as his biggest rival for the rest of the weekend.
“So, I’d say it was a fairly normal session, I don’t think this session, with all the interruptions, is that reliable. Maybe the first free practice was more reliable, we saw the cars in the order we’d expect. It’s definitely not easy in these conditions, but I’d say Mercedes, especially with George Russell, will be a tough competitor.”
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