Oscar Piastri best time at the end of the day in Japan. Lewis Hamilton 2nd on Mercedes 5 tenths away from McLaren. Charles Leclerc 3rd at 4 seconds with the Ferrari. I Racing Bulls, Yuki Tsunoda e Daniel Ricciardo4 and 5 after they were the only ones to set a time in 50 minutes out of 60.
The Red Bull boxed during the second release
Yes, strange ranking, almost science fiction. But free 2 is a film never shot in Suzuka: a light, heavy rain left many in the pits, starting with the two Red Bull who in the morning had finished the first free practice one-two, with the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz third at just 213 thousandths. The reds put their noses on the track in the very last minutes, just to smell the air. Which marks 12 degrees, nothing but spring. The asphalt is 16°, and it’s slippery and wet. And also for the last tests and then the qualifications tomorrow (at 8am Italian time), uncertain weather is expected as often happens in the Japanese GP, whatever date it is put on the calendar. And the picture of values on the pitch remains partly obscured, given the little activity on the track. Which will complicate the work of the engineers and drivers, who will be forced to use the last test session to put everything together in view of pole.
Verstappen dominates the first free practice sessions
For now everything remains fixed to the photograph taken in the morning: Max Verstappen who retired in Melbourne in the first laps due to a technical problem, is the fastest ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez (2nd at 181 thousandths, the Mexican has a new power unit). But behind, as in the first three races of the year, there is Ferrari. Sainz, fresh from his success in Australia and looking for a seat for 2025, is right there, just 2 tenths behind the blue of the world champion. Leclerc, who dedicated the helmet to his friend Jules Bianchi, who 10 years ago at Suzuka was involved in an accident that left him in a coma and 9 months after his death, is only 6th at half a second. But the Monegasque’s pace on race tires was interesting, even better than Verstappen’s.
Ferrari, continuity objective: in Verstappen’s garden dreaming of the constructors’ title
by Alessandra Retico
Perky Ferrari at Suzuka
The reds seem really competitive, closer to the Red Bulls even at Suzuka, a track with fast corners where they suffered a lot last year. Even in this respect, the SF 24 has improved: a more drivable, stable and predictable car. Who doesn’t argue much with the racing tires anymore. On Sunday (at 7 Italian) the Suzuka GP, a track considered the University of Formula 1, for Ferrari it will be one of the most important tests of the year. He will or will not give confirmation of his progress. Meanwhile, they are second in the standings, just 4 points behind the world champions, always on the podium so far. In Japan he hasn’t won for twenty years (Schumacher 2004).
Sargeant a muro
The others, very distant: the Mercedes with George Russell 4th and 474 thousandths behind Max, Hamilton 5th, 13 thousandths behind his teammate and also with the second engine after the failure in Melbourne. Who knows, however, that the McLarens, the most successful team in Japan (9 times) and tied with the Ferraris in Suzuka (7), after both finishing on the podium last year with Norris-Piastri, may not reserve some surprises, starting from the from qualifications.
In the morning shift, bad surprise for Logan Sargeant, finished on the wall with the Williams, destroying it. The American remained in the pits, even though he didn’t lose much. If not trust? He didn’t race in Australia because his car was given to Albon which had broken its own in free practice and the team did not have a second chassis. Sayonara?
#Japanese #Piastri #free #practice
– 2024-04-06 18:46:54
