In Japan: Lando Norris tops Practice One for McLaren at Suzuka

 Lando Norris tops Practice One for McLaren at Suzuka as Yuki Tsunoda makes solid Red Bull debut

Lando Norris tops the times for McLaren.Yuki Tsunoda made an impressive start to his Red Bull career during first practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, finishing sixth fastest at Suzuka. Fresh off a swap with Liam Lawson after two races, Tsunoda trailed teammate Max Verstappen by just 0.107 seconds. McLaren’s Lando Norris set the pace, leading Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.163 seconds, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton took third and fourth. Verstappen, fifth, was over half a second off Norris, noting his car felt strange and overly flexible. Tsunoda had some shaky moments, including oversteer at the hairpin and a wobble at the chicane, but kept it together, showing maturity in his new ride. 

See also:Breaking News in Nigeria: Supreme Court Sacks Julius Abure as Labour Party Chairman

He brushed off comparisons to Russell’s time, focusing instead on mastering the tricky Red Bull, which he called interesting after a solid session. Norris overcame early errors, including a slide into the gravel, to post the benchmark time after a cooldown lap. Russell impressed in second, while Ferrari lagged slightly, with Leclerc 0.416 seconds off the lead. The midfield was packed, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso seventh, just 0.05 seconds behind Tsunoda, followed by Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar and Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Williams’ Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top eleven, though Albon and Antonelli both had off track moments at the hairpin. Liam Lawson, back at Racing Bulls after a tough stint with Red Bull, was thirteenth, 0.311 seconds behind Hadjar. Oscar Piastri struggled to fifteenth after a poor soft tire run. With Red Bull trailing McLaren and Mercedes early, and Tsunoda adapting well, the weekend promises a close fight across the grid at this demanding circuit.

See also:In Nigeria Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Political Matters, has resigned.

WILD FP2 AT SUZUKA!

 Oscar Piastri takes P1 with a 1:28.114! Lando Norris P2 (+0.049s) & Isack Hadjar P3! 

Red flags waved after Jack Doohan's big crash, but he's thankfully okay.The second free practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka was packed with drama, ending with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri on top. He set the fastest lap at 1:28.114, edging out teammate Lando Norris by a razor thin 0.049 seconds. Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar secured third, 0.404 seconds off Piastri’s pace, rounding out a strong showing for the top three.

Earlier in the day, Norris had led FP1, where local star Yuki Tsunoda debuted for Red Bull, but FP2 brought its own twists. The session kicked off at 3 PM local time under clear, sunny skies, with drivers eager to hit the track. Alpine’s Jack Doohan, back in the car after Ryo Hirakawa ran FP1, was among the early runners. However, less than 10 minutes in, he suffered a high speed crash at Turn 1, triggering the first of several red flags. Thankfully, Doohan reported he was unharmed, but the incident left debris strewn across the track and damaged barriers, forcing a long cleanup by marshals. Elsewhere, Williams’ Carlos Sainz raised concerns about his car early on, limping back to the pits after spotting an issue. The disruptions made it a choppy hour, cutting into valuable running time for teams. McLaren’s one two finish signals their pace, but the stoppages might leave some squads playing catch up. 

See also:In Japan: Lando Norris tops Practice One for McLaren at Suzuka

Lewis Hamilton took fourth for Ferrari, 0.43 seconds back, with Liam Lawson fifth for Racing Bulls, 0.445 seconds off the lead. With FP2 in the books, all eyes turn to tomorrow’s sessions as teams fine tune for qualifying and the race ahead at the iconic Suzuka Circuit.