Free Practice 1 for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix kicked off under clear skies and surrounded by the breathtaking cherry blossoms of Suzuka, but there was no time for sightseeing as the grid got down to business. At the top of the timesheets, it was the McLaren of Lando Norris who laid down the early marker, continuing his strong start to the season by going quickest with a 1:28.549. But while the lap was impressive, it didn’t come without drama—Norris had only just recovered from a wild moment at the final chicane, where he bounced through the grass and gravel, before setting his session-best time.
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- Lando Norris topped FP1 with a 1:28.549 for McLaren, recovering from an off-track moment to edge out George Russell and Charles Leclerc, despite later tyre graining concerns.
- Yuki Tsunoda impressed on his Red Bull debut, finishing just over a tenth behind Max Verstappen in sixth during his first outing with the senior team at his home race.
- Rookies continued to shine, with Isack Hadjar taking eighth for Racing Bulls and Kimi Antonelli finishing ninth for Mercedes, while Ryo Hirakawa gave Japanese fans more to cheer for by placing 12th in his FP1 run for Alpine.
Despite that P1 performance, Norris sounded less than comfortable on the radio during his later stint, complaining of tyre graining on the resurfaced and ever-evolving Suzuka track. His teammate Oscar Piastri, fresh off a win in China, had a trickier session, finishing down in 15th after several messy flying laps that never quite came together.
Mercedes looked sharp in the opening hour, with George Russell finishing second, just 0.163s off Norris, and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli continuing to find his feet in ninth, despite a late off at Turn 11. Ferrari were also in the mix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton slotting into third and fourth, respectively, hinting at a much-needed bounce-back weekend after their disqualification heartbreak in China.
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But much of the spotlight was on one man: Yuki Tsunoda. Making his highly anticipated debut for Red Bull Racing at his home Grand Prix, Tsunoda delivered an assured performance in Honda’s specially liveried white-and-red RB21. The Japanese driver ended the session sixth overall, just over a tenth behind Max Verstappen on the soft tyre runs—an encouraging start considering the limited time he’d had to adapt to the notoriously temperamental Red Bull. His post-session radio summed it up best: “Interesting car. But it’s OK. Good sesh.”
Tsunoda’s last-minute promotion—just two races into the season—was a major storyline heading into the weekend, with Liam Lawson returning to Racing Bulls after a difficult start to his stint in the senior squad. The New Zealander ended FP1 in 13th, narrowly behind new teammate Isack Hadjar, who once again impressed in eighth place and continued to make a strong case for being one of 2025’s standout rookies.
Fernando Alonso slotted into seventh for Aston Martin, keeping things tidy in a session where track limits and minor off-track moments caught out several drivers. Teammate Lance Stroll was further adrift in 16th, just ahead of the Kick Sauber and Haas runners who rounded out the field.
There was also a special moment for the home fans as Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa took over Jack Doohan’s Alpine for FP1, fulfilling the team’s young driver running requirement. The Super Formula ace ended the session in 12th, a respectable showing that added even more local flavour to a weekend already buzzing with excitement thanks to Tsunoda’s Red Bull debut.
With the 2025 F1 World Championship in full swing and the pecking order still shifting, FP1 at Suzuka provided a fascinating glimpse into what could be a fiercely competitive weekend. And if the opening hour was anything to go by, the battles at the front—and the stories throughout the grid—were only just heating up.
2025 Japanese GP FP1 Results
2025 Japanese Grand Prix FP1, 4 April 2025
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