Japanese Grand Prix – Free Practice 1: Lando Norris makes his presence felt, Yuki Tsunoda keeps pace with Max Verstappen
After a small mistake, Lando Norris set the fastest time of the session. The Haas cars showed a low level of performance. Yuki Tsunoda managed to stay close to Max Verstappen.
I had to set the alarm very early again. Once more, the first free practice session took place in France while the sun was still fast asleep.
Among the first to hit the track were Yuki Tsunoda and his new teammate, Max Verstappen. The two Red Bull drivers immediately fitted soft tires. The Japanese driver took the opportunity to test the limits of the car and its reaction. The difference in lap times was initially striking, with more than a second and a half between the two men, before the gap slightly narrowed.
The performance of the Haas cars was noted during the first quarter-hour of the session. In the wrong sense of the word. The American cars were left behind. These first minutes of running put into question the new parts brought by the team without them being tested before the Grand Prix.
After reclaiming the fastest time of the session, George Russell swapped his medium tires for soft ones. The Brit didn’t overpower the competition despite his fresh tire compounds. He was soon imitated by Yuki Tsunoda, who fell short by three-tenths.
The McLarens were very discreet during this session. Once the soft tires were fitted on his car, Lando Norris tried to set the best time but ended up in the gravel at the chicane exit. The Brit tried again immediately and was only one-tenth better than his compatriot from Mercedes.
The Haas continued to evolve in complete anonymity. The American team struggled with the last two positions in the session. They were two-tenths slower than the Saubers. On a final attempt, they managed to get ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto.
