Oscar Piastri sets the pace in FP2 at Japan GP as drama hits the pits and track
Oscar Piastri ended Free Practice 2 at the Japanese Grand Prix on top of the timesheets, delivering the quickest lap as teams shook down their setups ahead of qualifying. The McLaren driver posted a best time of 1m 30.133s, edging the pace from the Mercedes duo, with Kimi Antonelli finishing just 0.09s behind in second and George Russell taking third.
After a strong start to the day where Mercedes looked sharp in FP1, the field returned for FP2 at 1500 local time, ready to fine-tune their cars. Among the headline moments was Fernando Alonso, who finally got his weekend started on track after handing his machine to third driver Jak Crawford during the opening session.
Most of the grid got moving right away, and there was a clear split in tyre strategies from the early phase. The majority ran the medium compound, while a small group tested the hard tyres. Meanwhile, Alonso appeared on the softs, signalling his team wanted quick running and immediate feedback rather than waiting for later track evolution.
Not everything went smoothly, though. Video replays highlighted a tense moment in the pit lane involving Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon. The Alpine driver had to react quickly after Albon emerged from the Williams garage, forcing an avoiding manoeuvre in the busy confines of the team area.
FP2 at the Japanese GP: key tyres, incidents, and quick starts
As the session progressed, teams began settling into their rhythm and planning their longer runs, but several drivers had troubles that disrupted their programmes. For Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls, the opening attempt looked promising until the car returned to the pits with an apparent issue, cutting short his early running.
McLaren also had a delayed storyline of its own. Lando Norris and Sergio Perez were both absent at first, staying in their garages while their cars and strategies were prepared. In Perez’s case, Cadillac later confirmed the delay was linked to floor damage from contact with Albon in FP1, meaning repairs were still underway.
There was also a frustrating run for Albon personally. The Williams driver encountered a slower car in the Esses while attempting a hot lap, disrupting his rhythm. Moments later, the FW48 stalled on track, triggering brief yellow flags before he managed to restart and continue.
Up at the front, Charles Leclerc was the name to watch early on, setting the pace before others came into their own. The Ferrari driver’s best early lap came in at 1m 31.019s, placing him ahead of Piastri and Russell in the first meaningful benchmark of the hour.
In the final segment of the session, the tyre choices began to tell a bigger story. McLaren’s Norris finally joined late in the hour with medium tyres, kicking off his on-track programme just under 40 minutes remaining. Others were already onto softer options, including Piastri, who climbed to the top once his lap came together.
While the top teams managed to deliver, the stewards also had their attention drawn to a separate incident. After the session, an investigation was announced involving Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Colapinto was alleged to have driven erratically, appearing to weave as Verstappen closed in at speed to warm up tyres and line up his approach.
As FP2 reached its halfway and then moved toward the closing stages, strategy shifts intensified. With many drivers returning to medium and hard runs as the clock moved on, Norris eventually swapped to the soft compound. Piastri stayed in the mix at the front, and his earlier lap ended up being the one that mattered most.
Perez, once cleared to take part, went out straight onto the soft tyres, making up for lost track time. Norris finished sixth, using his medium run effectively before switching later, with only a couple of others still yet to run the softs—highlighting how clean the middle of the session’s tyre plan was for most teams.
When the chequered flag came out, Piastri held first place, confirming the 1m 30.133s lap remained the fastest of the session. He stayed 0.092s clear of Antonelli, with Russell third. Norris ended up fourth, followed by Leclerc, and then Hamilton, who admitted he had “no confidence” in the car during the closing stages.
Piastri tops FP2, but Japan GP’s order is reshaped by late issues and wide moments
The rest of the top ten reflected a mix of early pace and late recovery. Nico Hulkenberg led Audi’s charge in seventh, while Albon, Ollie Bearman for Haas, and Max Verstappen completed the top ten. Verstappen also had a notable moment late on, suffering a wide excursion, but still managed to secure a spot in the order.
Rounding out the positions, Esteban Ocon placed 11th, followed by Liam Lawson, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, and Isack Hadjar. At the far end of the running, Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th, having managed 10 laps in the end.
Meanwhile, Bortoleto’s late participation didn’t prevent a difficult day for some others. Colapinto and Valtteri Bottas were next up, followed by Alonso, Perez, and Lance Stroll. Lindblad finished last after recording only one lap, a direct result of the gearbox issue that ended his running early.
With the first day of track action now complete, the focus shifts to what teams can unlock overnight. Drivers will review their data and adjust their plans before Free Practice 3 on Saturday at 11:30 local time, followed by qualifying later at 15:00.
It was a busy FP2 at Suzuka: Piastri delivered the pace, Mercedes stayed in striking distance, and the session also served up its share of pit-lane pressure, stalled cars, tyre juggling, and stewards’ questions—all setting the stage for an intriguing qualifying day.