Following an initial trial session held under threatening weather conditions, the Japanese Grand Prix continued with the second free practice session of the day, concluding this Friday at Suzuka.
Rain fell between the two sessions, then eased off before showers resumed. Conditions not ruled out for Sunday’s race were thus experienced by the drivers.
Daniel Ricciardo reclaimed the wheel of his RB F1 VCARB 01, handed over to Ayumu Iwasa during the FP1. At Williams F1, Logan Sargeant destroyed the upgraded parts of his FW46, and will therefore revert to the previous version of the single-seater for the weekend’s remainder.
Regrettably for the American and his team, damage to the suspension and gearbox prevented him from participating in the second session, further complicating his situation.
The track was initially declared wet, and it was Lewis Hamilton who first ventured out, 13 minutes into the FP1. He promptly fitted the medium tires, as race direction eventually allowed slick tires.
After two laps, the British driver returned to the garage, leaving Daniel Ricciardo on track. However, the RB F1 driver, experiencing the circuit for the first time that weekend, reported intensifying rain over the radio and returned to the pits slowly.
Mid-session, Oscar Piastri and then Guanyu Zhou ventured out but immediately returned to the pits. Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda left the garages, with the Japanese driver setting the session’s first time at 1’42″304.
Ricciardo then posted a time nine-tenths slower than his teammate, followed by drivers making sporadic runs without setting times. Eventually, Piastri took the lead with a 1’39″105 less than 3 minutes before the session’s end.
The Australian then improved to 1’36″862, as many drivers hit the track on slick tires. Piastri continued with a 1’34″725, and Hamilton finished five-tenths behind despite leading in two sectors. Leclerc placed third.
Thus, the session provided little insight for this Friday at Suzuka, with drivers making limited progress in their weekend preparations, somewhat mitigating Sargeant’s frustration from not running.
2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix – Free Practice Results (2)
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | 1:34.725 | 7 |
| 02 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes W15 | 1:35.226 | 6 |
| 03 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-24 | 1:38.760 | 4 |
| 04 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | 1:40.946 | 8 |
| 05 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | 1:41.913 | 9 |
| 06 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | 1:44.977 | 3 |
| 07 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari SF-24 | 1:52.579 | 3 |
| 08 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | 1:55.179 | 5 |
| 09 | Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | 1:56.059 | 7 |
| 10 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault A524 | 1:59.113 | 3 |
| 11 | Guanyu Zhou | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | 2:03.317 | 7 |
| 12 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW46 | 2:03.821 | 5 |
| 13 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | 2:30.472 | 4 |
| 14 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | – :—.— | 0 |
| 15 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes FW46 | – :—.— | 0 |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A524 | – :—.— | 0 |
| 17 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | – :—.— | 0 |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | – :—.— | 0 |
| 19 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | – :—.— | 0 |
| 20 | George Russell | Mercedes W15 | – :—.— | 0 |
- ReadMore>Norris Critiques Russell’s Prep for Alonso Clash
- Following us on Facebook and Twitter
FP2 Japan : Piastri fastest from Lewis in rain. FP2 Japan : Piastri fastest from Lewis in rain
