Japanese Grand Prix FP3: Verstappen dominates final practice
In the final practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, reigning world champion Max Verstappen demonstrated his dominance by clocking the fastest lap time, ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. This session marked a significant return to track action after Friday’s second practice was curtailed by rain.
Drivers were eager to make the most of the drier conditions on Saturday, leading to an early flurry of activity. Kevin Magnussen experienced a dramatic start with a spin that sent him into the gravel, while Daniel Ricciardo spun out in Turn 2, executing a full 360-degree turn.
Teams focused on testing various tyre compounds, but the spotlight eventually shifted to qualifying simulations on soft tyres. Verstappen showcased his prowess with a lap time of 1m 29.563s, outpacing Perez by 0.269s.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton slotted into third and fourth places respectively. Both expressed optimism about the performance of the W15, citing positive indicators from FP1. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, now equipped with updates previously run by Lance Stroll, secured the fifth spot. McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had to abandon a promising lap after overusing the kerb, finished sixth.
Fresh off his victory in Australia, Carlos Sainz secured seventh place. Oscar Piastri, celebrating his 23rd birthday, clocked the eighth-fastest time for McLaren. Yuki Tsunoda delivered a commendable performance at his home track, finishing ninth, while Charles Leclerc rounded out the top ten for Ferrari.
Read next ❯ Ferrari to reveal Hamilton's debut F1 car on February 19 at MaranelloAlex Albon led the Williams charge in 11th place, albeit reporting "zero confidence in the car" earlier in the session. Valtteri Bottas, driving the Kick Sauber, followed in 12th, trailed by Daniel Ricciardo in 13th.
On a weekend debuting new updates for Alpine, Esteban Ocon positioned his A524 in 14th. Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo took 15th, while the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg was 16th.
Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll finished in 17th and 18th, respectively. Logan Sargeant, returning after missing FP2 due to a crash, ended the session in 19th. Bringing up the rear was Kevin Magnussen in 20th, hinting that Haas might struggle to replicate their double points-scoring success from Australia.
As teams fine-tune their strategies, all eyes are now on the upcoming qualifying session later today, which promises to set the stage for an exciting Japanese Grand Prix.
