F1 – Norris Leads Opening Practice in Japan, Tsunoda’s Red Bull Debut

F1 – Norris Leads Opening Practice in Japan, Tsunoda’s Red Bull Debut

Norris Tops the Charts: Lando Norris set the fastest time in the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, leading a competitive field at Suzuka. The McLaren driver’s time of 1:28.549 put him just ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell.

Tsunoda’s Red Bull Debut: Yuki Tsunoda made his debut for Red Bull Racing on his home soil, replacing Liam Lawson. He delivered a solid performance, finishing sixth and just a tenth of a second behind his teammate Max Verstappen.

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Mercedes and Ferrari Close Behind: George Russell continued Mercedes’ strong start to the weekend, finishing second, while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari were close behind in third and fourth, respectively.

Verstappen’s Car Concerns: Max Verstappen reported issues with his Red Bull car, noting excessive flexing in the second sector. Despite this, he finished fifth, ahead of Tsunoda.

Midfield Battles: Fernando Alonso, Isack Hadjar, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10. Several drivers struggled with handling, including Oscar Piastri, who finished 15th.

Practice 1 Results:

  1. Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) 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/Honda RBPT) +0.516
  6. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) +0.623
  7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) +0.673
  8. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) +0.676
  9. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.735
  10. Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) +0.784
  11. Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) +0.843
  12. Ryō Hirakawa (Alpine/Renault) +0.845
  13. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) +0.987
  14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) +0.998
  15. Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) +1.159
  16. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) +1.209
  17. Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) +1.474
  18. Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) +1.528
  19. Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) +1.574
  20. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) +1.598

Source : FIA
This article was crafted with assistance from Gemini

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