Japanese GP: McLaren's Piastri edges Antonelli in second practice

Oscar Piastri delivered a timely statement at Suzuka by halting Mercedes’ early stranglehold at the venue, topping second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix with a sharp, confident performance under fading skies.

The McLaren driver clocked a 1m30.133s to edge out Kimi Antonelli by 0.092s, with championship leader George Russell completing the top three after his earlier dominance in FP1.

Following a Mercedes 1-2 in opening practice, the competitive picture shifted notably in FP2. Piastri wasted little time getting into the groove at the iconic Suzuka Circuit, seizing the initiative within the first 10 minutes.

• Japanese Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results

His early 1m31.495s lap on medium tyres nudged Russell off top spot, hinting at the pace to come. Although the order shuffled between Piastri, Antonelli and Charles Leclerc during the initial runs, the Australian made his move count when it mattered most.

Once soft tyres were bolted on, Piastri unleashed a session-defining lap—his first push on the red-striped compound producing a 1m30.133s that remained unbeaten.

Antonelli ensured Mercedes stayed firmly in the fight. The Italian, fresh from his maiden victory in China, also nailed his first soft-tyre run to post a 1m30.225s, briefly threatening Piastri’s benchmark.

Russell, meanwhile, had to settle for third, 0.113s off his team-mate, as Mercedes found it harder to replicate its FP1 dominance in the hotter, evolving conditions of the second session.

Norris recovers after disrupted start

It was more complicated outing for reigning world champion Lando Norris, whose session got off to a delayed start due to a hydraulics leak on his McLaren.

Missing the opening 23 minutes, Norris only returned for a brief sighting lap before properly joining the action later on.

His first representative time placed him sixth on medium tyres, but a late switch to softs—while most rivals had reverted to mediums—allowed him to climb to fourth with a 1m30.649s.

The effort left him just over half a second adrift of Piastri but marked an encouraging turnaround for McLaren after its difficult start to the season.

Ferrari in the mix, Red Bull struggles continue

Ferrari maintained a steady presence near the front, with Leclerc rounding out the top five. The Monegasque driver’s 1m30.846s kept Scuderia Ferrari within striking distance, though still seven tenths off the leading pace.

Team-mate Lewis Hamilton, fresh from his first podium in Ferrari colours, endured a quieter session in sixth, unable to challenge the frontrunners and finishing 0.847s down.

Further back, Max Verstappen could only manage 10th for Red Bull Racing, voicing frustration over the radio: “my understeer is unreal.” Team-mate Isack Hadjar also struggled, ending the session 15th.

Minor incidents but clean running overall

The session ran largely uninterrupted, with the only brief yellow flag caused by Alex Albon. The Williams Racing driver stopped just beyond Turn 1 with a throttle issue but quickly resumed.

There was less luck for rookie Arvid Lindblad, who failed to set a time after a gearbox problem forced an early return to the garage for Racing Bulls.

As Friday concluded, the narrative had shifted. Mercedes may have struck first, but McLaren – through Piastri – had landed a strong counterpunch.

With qualifying simulations offering a tantalizing glimpse of the pecking order, Suzuka is shaping up for a far more balanced fight than the season’s opening rounds suggested.

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