F1 Japanese GP 2026 Friday Results: Mercedes Dominates FP1, Piastri Leads FP2

F1 Japanese GP 2026 Friday Results:The first day of track activities at the 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix showed which teams would compete for victory because McLaren became an unexpected leading team while Red Bull struggled with their car’s weight distribution.

F1 Japanese GP 2026 Friday Results

The first two practice sessions which took place on Friday at Suzuka showed which teams gained advantages while others continued to face difficulties through their entire lineup of drivers. Thus the two driver teams from each team prepare for their important qualifying match.

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Winner: McLaren

Oscar Piastri from McLaren led all competitors during FP2 on Friday, showing exceptional speed. The Australian driver achieved the quickest time during the session, which included all drivers and two Mercedes racers in a competitive match.

The current performance represents a complete restoration of McLaren’s previous performance, which started with the 2026 season but experienced numerous reliability problems that affected their ability to compete. Piastri’s speed together with Lando Norris establishing a top four finish, which indicates that the team discovered an improved competitive configuration at Suzuka.

Mercedes

Mercedes continues to be the top team despite their FP2 performance which did not achieve first place. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli maintained front position for their team which had already won the first three races of the season.

Mercedes had earlier locked out the top spots in FP1 and their team continues to show strength during both qualifying runs and extended race simulations. The team demonstrates racing consistency together with their winning track record which establishes them as the leading contenders for the upcoming race.

Red Bull

Red Bull emerged as one of the biggest losers from Friday, continuing a worrying trend from recent races.

Max Verstappen struggled for pace and finished outside the top contenders, reporting issues with car balance and grip. The team experimented with different setups between FP1 and FP2 but failed to find a workable solution.