Practice Round 3 in Japan was held on sunny blue skies at the iconic Suzuka Circuit, with McLaren once more acquainting the paddock with their dominant opening to the season. In a very much on-the-limits final practice, Lando Norris edged team-mate Oscar Piastri by just 0.026s, with Mercedes’s George Russell in third just behind.
McLaren Leads the Charge
The Papaya cars were the pace-setters again, carrying on from where they left off on Friday when both Norris and Piastri had topped the timesheets in FP1 and FP2 respectively. While both drivers had crunchy laps in their first soft tire runs—Norris going wide through the Degners and Piastri locking up into the chicane—the pair showed blistering pace.
Norris later claimed number one with a lap only behind his team-mate, though both cars had the potential to improve their lap times. McLaren were seen attending to Norris’ floor mid-way through the session after a couple of kerb-hopping incidents, but the car was quickly turned around and sent out again—just as the chaos started.
Final Four Minutes: Red Flags and Drama
With minutes remaining, the session was red-flagged for the second occasion, this time reportedly due to another fire near the track. Several drivers had just got back out after barely managing a final charge or even a practice run.
Gabriel Bortoleto produced one of the session’s final talking points, surviving on two wheels after running a wheel off onto the grass. A fortunate save and a mildly frantic radio call were the aftermath—testament to just how tight the margins are at Suzuka.
Ultimately, Race Control maintained the ruling that the session would not be re-run, with Norris leading the times, Piastri second and Russell third.
Mercedes in the Mix
George Russell made his solid start to the weekend, looking confident in the W16. His best lap of the day came mid-session, an out-and-out effort which temporarily left him at the top. Mercedes will be encouraged though; rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli is only a second off the mark at this new circuit.
Ferrari Getting Better, but Still Not in Command
Charles Leclerc delivered a strong one-lap performance for Ferrari, as hinted after Friday. The Monégasque held the top for a brief period, but fell behind the McLarens and Russell to fourth. He ended the session there, with Lewis Hamilton close behind in sixth after Verstappen’s late effort bumped the seven-time champ down a spot. The team has made setup changes to improve their qualifying form—an area that’s been lacking in the opening rounds—and early signs suggest they’re headed in the right direction.
Midfield Movers
Behind the leading six, the midfield is still impressing. Alex Albon once more drove well for Williams, and Yuki Tsunoda delighted the home crowd by running in the top ten with a nice soft-tyre lap.
“We are in a good place, I am happy.” – James Vowles, Team Principle of Williams
Pierre Gasly was neat but did not complete a final soft run, and Isack Hadjar impressed once more, although he ended early as a result of a cockpit issue. Jack Doohan, after missing FP2 with his crash, recorded valuable laps for Alpine and appeared consistent on the soft tire.
Verstappen Focused on Sunday
Max Verstappen may have only finished fifth, but he spent a great deal of FP3 accumulating race data, taking it long on the hard tires. Red Bull are still getting their balance dialed in, and Verstappen’s qualifying simulation is so fast, they are still one to be taken seriously. The world champion topped the number of laps for the second time running—evidence of a team thinking long-term this weekend.
Conditions: Calm Before the Storm?
The weather remained consistent and hot for FP3, with the track temperatures at 39°C. However, a wind direction change caught a couple of drivers off guard and could have an effect on qualifying. On Sunday morning, the showers are still in the forecast, and they could introduce yet another factor into what is already a very competitive weekend.
Norris leads FP3, well-positioned to qualify. Piastri trailed him closely, with Russell keeping Mercedes comfortably in contention in third.
But there are unbelievably tight margins out there, and who knows what could happen later in the day—especially with swirling wind catching drivers out in blind corners. On the evidence of today’s session, qualifying at Suzuka will be a nail-biter.