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2025 Japanese Grand Prix Practice Session: Live Updates
Stay up-to-the-minute with live coverage of the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix practice session at Suzuka. Get the latest timings, track updates, and key moments as teams prepare for the race weekend. Follow along for lap-by-lap updates and leaderboard changes as drivers take to the track.
Liam Lawson’s Performance
An update on Liam Lawson: the New Zealander is currently positioned 13th with a lap time of 1:29.536. This compares to his teammate, Isack Hadjar, who is in 8th place with a time of 1:29.225.
Piastri Lags Behind Top Contenders
Oscar Piastri, a prominent name in Formula 1, is currently sitting in 15th position. His best lap stands at 1:29.708, which is over a second slower than his teammate. Piastri is currently on an out lap following a pit stop. Both drivers are running on soft compound tyres.
Standings Update
Current leaderboard standings with ten minutes remaining in the session.
Tsunoda’s Sector Advantage Over Verstappen
Sector-by-sector analysis reveals that Yuki Tsunoda is currently outpacing world champion Max Verstappen on the straights. This comparison of the Red Bull teammates’ times highlights Tsunoda’s straight-line speed advantage at this stage.
Norris Takes the Lead
A change at the top! Lando Norris has surged to the top of the timing sheets, setting a fastest lap of 1:28.549. He is followed by George Russell in second and Charles Leclerc in third. Lewis Hamilton currently occupies fourth position with a lap of 1:29.051.
Red Bull’s Strategy Showing Promise
Red Bull’s strategic approach appears effective thus far. Yuki Tsunoda is closely behind Max Verstappen, with the teammates currently in third and fourth positions respectively in the timing standings.
Drivers Experiencing Off-Track Moments
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Williams’ Oliver Bearman have both experienced minor excursions off the circuit in recent laps. These incidents appear to be without serious consequence or notable damage to their cars.
Ferrari Driver Gap Widens
A noticeable time gap has emerged between the Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc has improved to second place with a lap of 1:28.965, while his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, trails with a time of 1:29.413. Both Ferrari drivers are currently using soft tyres.
Positive Feedback from Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda is adapting well to his new environment and machinery. He communicated to his race engineer that he prefers not to receive updates on other drivers’ performance, wishing to maintain complete focus on his own driving. This approach signals a matured mindset compared to his earlier Formula 1 seasons.
Mid-Session Leaders
Current top drivers as we reach the halfway mark of the practice session at Suzuka.
More Soft Tyres Fitted
Following Red Bull’s lead, Williams, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and both Mercedes cars have now opted for the softer tyre compound. This switch to soft tyres suggests teams are beginning performance runs.
Russell Continues to Improve
George Russell further refines his lap time, now at 1:28.809. The British driver maintains the top spot and has completed 12 laps so far, second only to Carlos Sainz’s 14 laps in terms of session mileage.
Half the Field Enters Pits
Approximately half of the Formula 1 field has returned to the pits. Teams are now reviewing the data gathered during the first half of this practice session to inform setup adjustments and strategy.
Sainz’s Pit Lane Misunderstanding
Carlos Sainz humorously apologized to the Williams team after mistakenly pulling into their garage during his return to the pits. He momentarily forgot the location of his team’s pit box.
Team Radio Exchange:
- Team: ‘Box, box, remember we are at the beginning of pit lane.’
- Sainz: ‘Oh f***, I missed it, guys. I thought we were at the end, sorry!’
Encouraging Signs for Tsunoda
Despite limited experience with his current car, Yuki Tsunoda is progressively reducing his lap times. He has just achieved the seventh fastest time with a lap of 1:30.076, marking a positive step in his adaptation.
Verstappen Reporting Car Issues?
Max Verstappen has voiced concerns about his car’s handling, reporting unusual flexing. Speculation suggests this year’s Red Bull car may be challenging to manage, indicating potential setup work for the team’s engineers at Suzuka.
Russell Takes Top Spot
George Russell has moved to the top of the leaderboard. The Mercedes driver recorded a lap time of 1:29.176, placing him half a second ahead of Verstappen’s previous best.
Hamilton in Sixth Position
Lewis Hamilton is currently positioned sixth in the standings. The British driver’s fastest lap is 1:30.271, approximately two-tenths of a second slower than his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, who holds third place.
Close Margin Between Verstappen and Russell
The leading drivers, Max Verstappen and George Russell, are separated by a very narrow margin, less than a tenth of a second. Both are the only drivers to have broken the 1:30 barrier so far in this practice session.
Notably, the Red Bull cars are currently the only ones running on soft tyres, while the majority of the field are utilizing medium compound tyres.
Leclerc Climbs Leaderboard
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari has improved his position on the leaderboard. He completed a lap in 1:30.769, placing him third overall after five laps completed in this practice session.
Lawson and Teammate Comparison Early On
Comparing the early performance of Liam Lawson and his new teammate, Isack Hadjar: Lawson has clocked a lap of 1:34.231, while Hadjar has achieved a time of 1:32.092. This difference is understandable given Lawson’s limited track time in the Racing Bull car.
Verstappen Holds Early Lead Over Tsunoda
After the initial laps, reigning world champion Max Verstappen is 1.8 seconds ahead of his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda. However, it is premature to draw definitive conclusions at this early stage, as drivers are still adjusting to track conditions and car setups.
Livery Similarity Causing Confusion
For casual viewers, the updated Red Bull livery for this Grand Prix has created a visual similarity to the Racing Bulls cars.
Distinguishing between the two teams can be done by observing the Racing Bulls cars, which feature more yellow, particularly in the front view. Verstappen and Tsunoda’s Red Bulls are running a colour scheme of white, red, and black only.
Cars Taking to the Track
The first cars are emerging onto the Suzuka circuit for the practice session. Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari was the first car out, immediately followed by his teammate and then the Racing Bulls cars.
Suzuka Track Updates
Updates regarding the Suzuka circuit: Five new gravel traps have been installed, and the first sector of the track has been resurfaced ahead of this year’s Japanese Grand Prix.
In positive news for drivers, a strong headwind is present at the approach to Turn 1. This headwind is expected to enhance downforce as they navigate the renowned corner.
Gasly’s Insight on Tsunoda
Pierre Gasly, a former Red Bull driver (2019), has commented on Yuki Tsunoda’s recent promotion. Gasly acknowledged Tsunoda’s ‘experience’ and ‘speed’ as assets for competing with Christian Horner’s team. However, he also expressed a note of caution regarding the Japanese driver’s overall prospects.
‘Does [his talent] mean he’s going to be successful in Red Bull Racing? No,’ Gasly stated, suggesting that Formula 1 success is multifaceted.
‘It’s slightly more complicated than that … in Formula One these days, you’ve got many strong drivers on the grid, so it’s not all down to your speed.’
Gasly’s comments could subtly reference Tsunoda’s mental fortitude, which was previously questioned when he entered F1. Known for passionate radio communications, Tsunoda has shown noticeable improvement in composure with experience.
Villeneuve’s Assessment of Lawson’s Form
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, succinctly described Liam Lawson’s current form. Speaking on Sky’s broadcast, Villeneuve noted that while Lawson displayed confidence last season, his performance ‘collapsed’ in 2025, citing a disappointing run of results in both Australia and China.
Hamilton Addresses Ferrari’s Season Start
Lewis Hamilton has spoken about Ferrari’s challenging start to the 2025 Formula 1 season. Despite winning the sprint race in China after a subpar qualifying and Melbourne race, subsequent disqualifications for both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have fueled speculation about Hamilton’s potential frustration with his new team.
Horner on Lawson’s Team Change
Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, described replacing Liam Lawson after just two races as ‘horrible’ for the driver but framed it as a ‘cruel to be kind’ decision. Horner disclosed what he communicated to the 23-year-old New Zealander following the driver change announcement.
Weather Conditions at Suzuka
The weather forecast for Suzuka is promising with sunny conditions and a peak temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. This is a notable contrast to the scorching 37-degree heat experienced during the second day of the season-opening Grand Prix in Melbourne earlier this year.
Welcome to Live Practice Coverage
Welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog coverage of the first and second practice sessions at Suzuka. Today’s sessions are particularly noteworthy as Yuki Tsunoda, newly promoted at Red Bull, will be on track alongside Liam Lawson, the driver whose seat he replaced.
We will provide real-time updates on lap times, session incidents, and all key events as the third Grand Prix event of the 2025 Formula 1 season commences.