Suzuka
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri signaled a massive comeback by clocking the fastest time during the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix. After a frustrating start to the season where he failed to finish the first two races, the 24-year-old Australian mastered the iconic 5.8 km Suzuka circuit with a blistering lap of 1:30.133. His performance gave McLaren a much-needed boost following recent reliability scares.
The session was a tight contest, with Mercedes continuing their dominant form. Kimi Antonelli, fresh off his maiden Formula One victory in China, finished just 0.092 seconds behind Piastri. His teammate and current championship leader, George Russell, took the third spot. The Mercedes duo has been the team to beat this year, having secured one-two finishes in every qualifying session and main race so far. They are currently separated by only four points at the top of the standings.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton remained consistent, finishing fifth and sixth in both practice sessions. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen struggled to find his usual pace, ending the second session in 10th place. Adding to the drama, Fernando Alonso finished 19th after arriving late to Japan following the birth of his first child.
Despite Piastri’s speed, concerns remain for McLaren as Lando Norris spent significant time sidelined with garage repairs. With Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg showing surprising pace in seventh, the grid is tightening up. All eyes now turn to qualifying to see if McLaren can finally break the Mercedes stranglehold.