FP2: Piastri tops wet FP2 in Japan

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Oscar Piastri set the quickest lap in a rain-affected FP2 session at the Japanese Grand Prix, with limited running until the final dry moments.

Check out the results of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, including the race results, qualifying times, and practice sessions

Rain initially kept all drivers in their garages at Suzuka, as they sought to preserve their intermediate tyres. Lewis Hamilton broke the silence 15 minutes in with an exploratory lap on medium compounds but soon returned to the pits due to looming rain.

Daniel Ricciardo, having missed FP1 for rookie Ayumu Iwasa, also ventured out briefly but confirmed the intensifying rain, leading to another action lull. As conditions dried, Piastri ventured out on intermediate tyres, followed by a trickle of drivers doing the same.

Alex Albon, running as the sole Williams while the team repaired Logan Sargeant's car from a previous crash, joined the fray. Yuki Tsunoda managed a timed lap first, clocking 1:40.946, ahead of Ricciardo.

As the track dried further in the final 10 minutes, drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg tested the soft tyres, but the circuit proved too wet for slicks. Piastri clocked a 1:34.725 on softs in the final moments, securing the fastest lap. Hamilton secured P2, followed by Charles Leclerc in P3, with Tsunoda and Ricciardo rounding out the top five.

Notably, Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, George Russell, and Logan Sargeant abstained from running.

As teams delve into today's data, anticipation builds for Free Practice 3 on Saturday at 1130 local time, preceding qualifying later in the day.

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