Two different teams set the pace across Friday’s practice sessions at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix. George Russell led a strong start for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in FP1, but Oscar Piastri responded in FP2 by putting McLaren on top. The overall picture is still open, with several teams showing competitive pace.
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FP1: Mercedes sets the early benchmark
The first session was relatively straightforward. Russell finished fastest, just ahead of teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, securing a Mercedes 1-2.
The car looked well balanced, especially through the high-speed sections. Both drivers were able to improve late in the session on soft tires, which suggests the team quickly found a good setup window.
McLaren followed closely, with both Piastri and Lando Norris in the leading group. Scuderia Ferrari was slightly behind, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton focusing more on consistent runs than outright pace.
Red Bull Racing did not show its full performance yet. The team appeared to run a different program, likely focusing on setup and data collection.
Overall, FP1 suggested that Mercedes could be a serious contender this weekend, but the gaps were not large.
FP2: McLaren responds with Piastri on top
The second session was more complex and slightly disrupted. There were some interruptions that limited long runs and made the data less reliable.
Lando Norris lost valuable track time early in the session due to a technical issue, which forced McLaren to adjust its program. Other short interruptions also affected the rhythm of the session, so several teams could not complete their planned long runs.
Despite this, Oscar Piastri set the fastest lap and put McLaren on top. His lap came when track conditions were improving, which played a role in the final order.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli again impressed with second place, while George Russell stayed in the top three. This suggests that Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team has strong pace across different conditions.
Because of the interruptions, long-run data is less clear than in FP1. This means teams still do not have a full picture of race pace.
McLaren looked particularly sharp on low fuel. The car seemed to handle the changing track conditions well, which helped Piastri extract a strong lap.
Another important factor was track evolution. Grip levels changed compared to FP1, and several drivers reported balance issues. This could become a key topic going into Saturday.
Friday summary and outlook
Friday did not produce a clear leader. Instead, it showed a tight fight between Mercedes and McLaren, with Ferrari close behind.
Mercedes stands out for consistency across both sessions. McLaren showed the highest peak performance in FP2. Ferrari is stable but needs a small step forward.
FP3 will be important to confirm these trends. Teams will focus on fine-tuning the balance and preparing for qualifying.
If the gaps remain this small, qualifying could be very competitive. Several drivers have a realistic chance to fight for pole position, which should make Saturday one of the key moments of the weekend.
The full results of the free practices according to FIA.com:
