Japanese Grand Prix Practice 2 Match Detail on SportFeed

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) halted the early Mercedes dominance by setting the fastest time of the day in FP2, clocking a 1:30.133. The Australian delivered a "clean and controlled" soft-tire lap that stood unthreatened for the remainder of the session, finishing 0.092 seconds clear of Kimi Antonelli.

The result provided a much-needed boost for McLaren after a hydraulic leak on Lando Norris’s car limited the Briton’s running to the final 25 minutes of the hour. Behind the lead pair, George Russell completed the top three, confirming the Silver Arrows' strong presence at Suzuka.

While the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fifth and sixth, both drivers reported a lack of confidence in the car's high-speed balance. Max Verstappen's struggles continued; the Red Bull driver finished 10th, citing "unpredictable" oversteer and a lack of mid-corner rotation.

The session was also marked by a post-practice investigation into Franco Colapinto for allegedly impeding Verstappen, adding further tension to the Red Bull garage.