The second free practice session at Suzuka highlighted one major takeaway: McLaren remains the team to beat. On a demanding circuit that tests every aspect of a car’s balance and efficiency, Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets, edging out teammate and current championship leader Lando Norris by just 49 thousandths of a second.
The session was fragmented by four red flags, the first due to a high-speed crash involving Jack Doohan, whose Alpine slammed into the barriers at over 300 km/h. The Australian walked away unaided but was visibly shaken. Fortunately, medical checks confirmed he was unharmed, and Alpine began rebuilding the car ahead of FP3.
Behind the McLarens, the big surprise came from Racing Bulls. Isaac Hadjar stunned with a third-place finish, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, while Liam Lawson, freshly demoted from Red Bull’s main team, delivered a strong fifth-place showing — perhaps aided by reduced pressure and a point to prove.
MotoGP shake-up in Austin: Bagnaia wins, Marc Marquez crashes out
30 Mar - 22:12 •
1' min
Charles Leclerc finished seventh, just behind George Russell, and within half a second of the leader, underlining the tight margins among the top teams. Ferrari’s pace appeared promising in parts, though consistency over longer runs remains a question mark for everyone after the repeated interruptions.
Further down the grid, Max Verstappen ended the session in eighth with an RB21 that continues to look unpredictable in anyone’s hands but his. Yuki Tsunoda, promoted to the senior team, struggled to 18th.
Rookie Kimi Antonelli is still finding his feet with Mercedes, while Fernando Alonso retired mid-session with technical issues on his Aston Martin, triggering the second red flag.
With qualifying approaching and conditions still evolving, Saturday promises scintillating action — especially with such a tight performance window among the top teams.
