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Home Formula 1 Red Bull Rules FP1 at Suzuka, But Weather Threatens Upset

Red Bull Rules FP1 at Suzuka, But Weather Threatens Upset

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Red Bull Rules FP1 at Suzuka, But Weather Threatens Upset

The first taste of action at the Japanese Grand Prix was a thrilling one! Red Bull’s Max Verstappen stole the show, but there were twists, turns, and even a crash to keep fans on their toes.

Teams started off with caution, running longer stints likely due to fears of changing weather. This meant the hot laps on the softer tires were scarce in the beginning. Surprisingly, it was McLaren’s Lando Norris who led the pack early on, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz close behind.

But then, Verstappen reminded everyone why he’s the champion. He put on a show with a quick time on the harder tires, setting a tough target for the rest at 1 minute 31.4 seconds. Just when things seemed settled, there was a dramatic pause.

American driver Logan Sargeant in his Williams spun out and hit the wall at the tricky Dunlop Curve. This brought out the red flag, stopping the session while crews cleared the track and checked on Sargeant. Thankfully, everyone was okay, and the session got back on track.

Verstappen wasted no time flexing his muscles again. He zipped around the course on the softer tires with a blistering time of 1 minute 30.0 seconds, solidifying his lead. His teammate, Sergio Perez, wasn’t far behind either, showing Red Bull is a force to be reckoned with.

The battle behind the Red Bulls was fierce. Carlos Sainz emerged as Verstappen’s closest competitor, followed by the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

There were a few other bumps in the road. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin had his practice disrupted by a broken aero rake. On a brighter note, Red Bull junior driver Ayumu Iwasa had his home track debut in FP1 and showed steady improvement throughout.

As the checkered flag ended the session, Verstappen’s dominance set the stage for a thrilling weekend. Red Bull looks strong at Suzuka, but with unpredictable weather on the horizon, anything can happen in the Japanese Grand Prix!

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