Second Free Practice Report & Results 2025 Japanese F1 GP

Event: Japanese Grand Prix
Track: Suzuka Circuit

Weather: dry  13°C
Tarmac: dry  32°C
Humidity : 41.0%
Wind : 21.6 km/h

Piastri Tops Turbulent Friday As McLaren Emerge as Suzuka Pace-Setters

Suzuka, Japan – The 2025 Formula 1 circus roared back into action at the legendary Suzuka Circuit for Free Practice 2 ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix – and while McLaren finished the day on top, the session was anything but straightforward.

Friday Fumbles: Red Flags Reign at Suzuka

From the moment the green light blinked on, FP2 was a session punctuated more by stoppages than by clean laps. The first red flag was triggered barely minutes into the session when Jack Doohan lost control into Turn 1, slamming his Alpine into the barriers with a heavy impact. Fortunately, the young Aussie was able to climb out unaided, but his team now faces a long night rebuilding the wrecked A524 – and that’s if Doohan is cleared to continue this weekend.

Then, just as the track fell silent again, Fernando Alonso brought out the second red flag. The veteran Spaniard dipped a wheel into the grass at the second Degner curve, which sent his Aston Martin skidding helplessly into the gravel. He was left beached and frustrated, offering a stark reminder of how punishing Suzuka can be – even for the most experienced hands.

Practice or Puzzler? Strategists Left Guessing

The red flag disruptions left teams scrambling. No one managed a meaningful long-run simulation, leaving tyre degradation and race pace a mystery ahead of Sunday. With Pirelli bringing their hardest compounds (C1, C2, C3) for the first time this season, engineers and strategists were already on the back foot – now they’re practically in reverse.

As a result, Saturday’s final practice session could become crucial. Without race simulation data, teams will be flying blind when it comes to planning their stints. And with the undercut rumoured to be powerful at Suzuka, Sunday’s race strategy could become a roll of the dice.

McLaren Lockout: Piastri Pips Norris at the Death

Once the session finally resumed, it was McLaren who lit up the timing screens. After Lando Norris topped FP1, his teammate Oscar Piastri hit back in FP2, snatching top spot with a 1:28.114 – a time that was actually quicker than last year’s pole lap.

Norris slotted into P2, just 0.049s behind, confirming McLaren’s status as the team to beat this weekend. It was a statement of intent from the Woking squad, who now seem to have both one-lap pace and strong balance in their corner – though graining on the medium tyre in FP1 is still a concern.

Surprise Package: Hadjar Shines for RB

Behind the papaya pair, Isack Hadjar stunned the paddock by going P3 for the newly renamed RB outfit. The French rookie, standing in for Ricciardo once again, finished ahead of Hamilton, Lawson, and Russell – all of whom looked strong but couldn’t match the McLarens on softs.

Hadjar’s performance not only boosts his stock but also gives Red Bull Racing’s junior team something to cheer about at their engine partner’s home race.

Mercedes Show Promise, Ferrari Falter

George Russell’s Friday form continued, following two podiums in the first two rounds. He looked particularly racy early in FP2, even flirting with the top spot during a flurry of laps before the red flag chaos.

Ferrari, meanwhile, had a more anonymous session. Sticking to hard tyres for most of FP2, Leclerc and Sainz focused on data collection rather than glory runs – though Sainz radioed in a worrying suspension issue early on, complaining his car was “bouncing like crazy.” Not ideal for a team still reeling from a double disqualification in China.

Home Hero: Tsunoda Impresses in RB21 Debut

Making his Red Bull Racing debut on home soil, Yuki Tsunoda gave Japanese fans a reason to smile. Finishing just behind Max Verstappen in FP1, Tsunoda showed composure and speed – though both Red Bull drivers still seemed unsettled with the balance of the RB21.

Still, with two practice sessions under his belt in the A-team machinery, all eyes will be on Yuki in qualifying to see whether he can deliver a fairytale Suzuka performance.

What’s Next?

The final practice session kicks off Saturday at 11:30 local time (03:30 BST / 02:30 UTC), and with so many questions still unanswered, it could be the most important FP3 of the year so far.

Will McLaren maintain their edge? Can Mercedes or Red Bull close the gap? And will Alpine even have a car ready for Doohan?

Suzuka always delivers – and 2025’s edition is already promising fireworks.

FP2 Times Table 2025 Japanese GP

1:34,725 min was the quickest lap time in a wet FP2 of last year also set by Oscar Piastri, but then in the McLaren MCL38.

✅ Check out our 2025 Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix preview.

✅ Check out more posts with related topics: