Event

Japanese Grand Prix Practice 2



Date
Fri 27th March 2026 (UTC)
Fri 27th March 2026 (Local)

Timestamp
2026-03-27T06:00:00

Time
timezone flag 06:00:00 UTC (15:00:00 Local)

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League
Formula 1

Season
2026

Round
3

Status
Match Finished

Location
venue thumbnailSuzuka International Racing Course





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Event Statistics


Description search icon English Flag
The second practice session at the Suzuka International Racing Course shifted the focus from baseline aero mapping to critical qualifying simulations and long-run data. The primary challenge for the 22-car field was adapting to a rapidly rubbering-in track surface under overcast skies. For McLaren, the objective was to recover from a difficult opening session, while the tactical priority for Mercedes was to confirm if their FP1 pace was a genuine performance advantage or a result of favorable track conditions.

Strategically, the hour was divided into high-intensity soft-tire bursts followed by heavy-fuel race simulations. The objective for the "big three" teams—Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari—was to fine-tune energy deployment through the high-speed Sector 1 "Esses," where the 2026 power units face the greatest challenge in balancing battery harvesting. With rain forecasted for later in the weekend, the goal for the mid-field teams like Audi and Williams was to gather as much dry-weather data as possible before the conditions shifted.
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Reports


Result List
Transparent Spacer01 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Oscar Piastri1:30.133
Transparent Spacer02 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Andrea Kimi Antonelli+0.092s
Transparent Spacer03 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon George Russell+0.205s
Transparent Spacer04 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Lando Norris+0.516s
Transparent Spacer05 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Charles Leclerc+0.713s
Transparent Spacer06 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Lewis Hamilton+0.847s
Transparent Spacer07 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Nico Hulkenberg+1.308s
Transparent Spacer08 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Alexander Albon+1.363s
Transparent Spacer09 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Oliver Bearman+1.365s
Transparent Spacer10 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Max Verstappen+1.376s
Transparent Spacer11 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Esteban Ocon+1.399s
Transparent Spacer12 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Liam Lawson+1.457s
Transparent Spacer13 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Carlos Sainz Jr+1.475s
Transparent Spacer14 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Pierre Gasly+1.601s
Transparent Spacer15 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Isack Hadjar+1.626s
Transparent Spacer16 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Gabriel Bortoleto+1.800s
Transparent Spacer17 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Franco Colapinto+2.305s
Transparent Spacer18 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Valtteri Bottas+2.482s
Transparent Spacer19 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Fernando Alonso+3.463s
Transparent Spacer20 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Sergio Perez+3.556s
Transparent Spacer21 Player Cutout thumb Team Badge iconTeam equipment thumbnailFlag icon Lance Stroll+3.818s


Result Description
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.

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plex icon Formula 1 2026-03-27 Japanese Grand Prix Practice 2.mkv
kodi icon Formula 1 2026-03-27 Japanese Grand Prix Practice 2.S2026E3.mkv
kodi icon (Scraper) Formula 1 2026-03-27 Japanese Grand Prix Practice 2.mkv


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