F1 results: FP1 timings from Japanese Grand Prix practice

Max Verstappen comfortably topped FP1 at Suzuka as the Red Bull driver delivered the perfect response to his Singapore woes.

Singapore GP victor Carlos Sainz claimed P2, some six-tenths behind, with a late run on the soft tyres helping McLaren’s Lando Norris to secure P3.

Verstappen had played down the desire to make a statement of intent as soon as the light went green at Suzuka, but it was he waiting at the end of the pit lane to launch out immediately on the hard tyres.

And indeed he shot straight to the top, clocking a 1:33.719 before shaving a further four-tenths off that with his next push lap. His switch to the C2 prototype, being tested here in Japan with a view to its introduction for next season, helped Verstappen find another eight-tenths.

The switch to the soft C3 rubber delivered performance for Perez, but Verstappen soon stretched his legs further on the red-walled compound, delivering a 1:31.647 to go 1.4 seconds clear. Sainz was able to cut Verstappen’s lead to six-tenths on the softs with his opening effort.

PlanetF1.com建议

F1 2023: Head-to-head qualifying and race stats between team-mates

F1 Driver of the Day: Who has won the award in F1 2023?

Both Leclerc and Tsunoda found pace to break that one-second margin to Verstappen, though it was a session completely dominated by the Dutchman.

Light rain moved in with a few minutes of FP1 remaining, though it was not enough to upset the slick tyres.

FP1 times

1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing 1:31.647
2 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.626
3 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.745
4 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.927
5 Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri +0.950
6 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +1.003
7 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +1.066
8 Alexander ALBON Williams +1.344
9 Liam LAWSON AlphaTauri +1.358
10 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +1.393
11 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing +1.396
12 Pierre GASLY Alpine +1.482
13 George RUSSELL Mercedes +1.663
14 Nico HULKENBERG Haas F1 Team +1.801
15 Esteban OCON Alpine +1.869
16 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +2.052
17 Valtteri BOTTAS Alfa Romeo +2.213
18 Kevin MAGNUSSEN Haas F1 Team +2.328
19 Logan SARGEANT Williams +2.565
20 Guanyu ZHOU Alfa Romeo +3.184