2025 Japanese Grand Prix – Free Practice 1 F1 results (Suzuka)

Lando Norris overcome a few early session balance issues and an off or three to set the pace in FP1 for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver laid down a 1:28.549 on the soft Pirelli tyres to beat George Russell in the Mercedes by 0.163s.

Lando Norris sets the pace in FP1 at Suzuka

Round three of the F1 2025 season began on Friday at the Suzuka circuit, with the track temperature sitting at 35’C and set to rise as the day progressed.

Max Verstappen led the early running on the soft tyres before he was overhauled by Russell.

The Briton continued to up his pace, clocking a 1:28.712 but that wasn’t enough to hold off the charging Norris.

Despite a few offs as he struggled with the balance of his MCL39, taking a bit too much kerb at times which unsettled the car, he recovered to cross the line with a 1:28.549.

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That put him 0.163s ahead of Russell with Charles Leclerc coming into play on the soft tyres. He was, however, a further three-tenths down. Lewis Hamilton was fourth in the Ferrari.

Verstappen set the fifth fastest time, half a second down, having reported that his RB21 was “flexing” in a “weird” way. That time put him a tenth up on his new Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Fernando Alonso, Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz completed the top ten.

As for Liam Lawson, the New Zealander was 13th fastest in the Racing Bulls F1 car, three-tenths slower than Hadjar.

Japanese GP: Tsunoda closes in on Verstappen as McLaren and Merc vie for top honours in FP1

Japanese GP: FP1 Lap Times

1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:28.549 2 George Russell Mercedes +0.163 3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.416 4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.502 5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.516 6 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing +0.623 7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.673 8 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.676 9 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.735 10 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.784 11 Alexander Albon Williams +0.843 12 Ryo Hirakawa Alpine +0.845 13 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.987 14 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.998 15 Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.159 16 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.209 17 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber +1.474 18 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +1.528 19 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +1.574

20 Gabriel Bortoleto Kick Sauber +1.598