Max Verstappen seemed to be very comfortable in his Red Bull from the start, but Sergio Perez had a lot of difficulties with the tires. There was an expectation from the team itself that he would improve his performance in the second free practice session, as he would use the new floor, like Verstappen, but he finished in ninth place and was almost 1s per lap slower than his teammate in race simulations. .
Leclerc was the one who came closest to Verstappen, but Ferrari was one of the teams that carried out several setup tests to try to understand the best path for the race. They brought a new floor, which was approved by Leclerc in the first session and used by both drivers in the second free practice.
The Scuderia really seems to have found a way with the car’s configuration, after suffering a lot in the Dutch GP and trying something different. But the difference in this fight behind Red Bull is very tight.
In a single lap, McLaren is doing well, even if Norris and Piastri’s race simulation was not that strong. Now they both have the same car, after Norris first received the update that debuted in Singapore.
Mercedes started preparations for the Japanese GP badly
The one who didn’t do well on Friday was Mercedes. The drivers felt a severe lack of grip in the tires, and the changes the team made to the car did not have the desired effect. And Aston Martin didn’t do well either: boss Mike Krack said that putting both cars in Q3 would be a good result.
2023-09-22 11:57:54
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