The second free practice session at the iconic Suzuka Circuit turned into a dramatic affair filled with multiple incidents that repeatedly halted track action. What started as a standard Friday practice quickly evolved into one of the most disrupted sessions of the season, giving teams minimal time to gather valuable data ahead of qualifying.
FP2 began with teams focusing on race simulations using medium and hard compound tires, with many splitting tire strategies between their two drivers to maximize data collection. This methodical approach was soon thrown into disarray when the first red flag appeared.
Rookie mistake leads to first stoppage
Jack Doohan triggered the initial red flag after losing control of his Alpine at Turn 1. The Australian rookie slammed into the tire barrier at high speed, completely destroying his A525 chassis. While the 22-year-old fortunately walked away unharmed, the same couldn’t be said for his severely damaged race car.
Before this interruption, George Russell had set the pace for Mercedes at the top of the timing sheets. When the session resumed with 30 minutes remaining on the clock, teams barely had time to adjust their programs before another incident occurred.
Alonso adds to the drama
Just five minutes after the restart, Fernando Alonso went off track at the exit of Turn 8 (the second Degner curve). His Aston Martin AMR25 became stranded in the gravel trap, forcing race control to display red flags for the second time.
Removing the green machine proved relatively straightforward, allowing the session to resume with 19 minutes left. At this point, most teams switched to soft compound tires to simulate qualifying runs, with Lando Norris jumping to the top spot.
Unexpected fire brings third stoppage
In an unusual turn of events, the session was halted yet again—this time due to a grass fire that broke out alongside the track with 14 minutes remaining. This strange occurrence (have you ever seen something like this during a Grand Prix weekend?) was reminiscent of similar incidents that happened twice last year in China.
When the final 7-minute sprint began, teams scrambled with various tire choices. McLaren managed to secure a 1-2 at the top of the timesheets, with Oscar Piastri edging out his teammate for the fastest time of the session.
What this means for the weekend
The fragmented nature of FP2 gives teams little reliable data to work with heading into qualifying. McLaren’s late speed on soft tires suggests they may have the edge on single-lap pace, but the limited running makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about race pace and tire degradation.
Teams will need to make the most of the final practice session to fine-tune setups before the all-important qualifying. The disrupted running might lead to some surprises in the grid order if some teams haven’t found their optimal setup.
For fans, these incidents set up what promises to be an exciting qualifying session and race. The technical Suzuka circuit always rewards driver skill and car balance, and with teams having limited data, we might see some unexpected results when it matters most.
What’s next?
FP3 starts at 5:30 AM Eastern Time, followed by qualifying at 9:00 AM ET. Both sessions promise more action as teams and drivers push to find their limits on one of the most challenging circuits on the F1 calendar.
(And let’s hope we’ve seen the last of the grass fires for this weekend—the marshals already have enough to keep them busy with all these incidents!)
