Mercedes Tops Opening Practice at Suzuka Ahead of McLaren Resurgence

Red Bull's new upgrades fail to deliver in FP1 as Williams and Aston Martin continue to struggle

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:50am

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The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix weekend kicked off with an eventful first practice session at the Suzuka Circuit. Mercedes led the way with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli topping the timesheets, while McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri showed strong pace in third and fourth. Red Bull's new aero upgrades did not immediately pay dividends, with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finishing seventh and 13th respectively. Williams and Aston Martin also continued to face challenges, with Alex Albon nearly crashing and Sergio Perez colliding with Albon's Williams during the session.

Why it matters

The Japanese Grand Prix marks the final race before an unexpected break in the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, giving teams a chance to address the reliability and performance issues that have plagued many squads over the opening races. The practice session data will be crucial for teams to understand where they stand and what upgrades they need to focus on during the break.

The details

Teams used the opening practice session to gather extensive aerodynamic data, with many cars fitted with aero rakes and flow visualization paint. Red Bull was the only team to rush an upgrade package to Suzuka, featuring a heavily revised floor aimed at improving downforce and braking stability. However, the upgrades did not immediately pay off, with Verstappen and Hadjar finishing well off the pace. McLaren, on the other hand, showed strong form after addressing the technical issues that led to a double DNS in the previous race. The Williams and Aston Martin cars continued to struggle, with Albon nearly crashing and Perez colliding with the Williams of Albon.

  • The Japanese Grand Prix is the final race in the opening stretch of the 2026 Formula 1 season before an unexpected break.
  • Free Practice 1 took place on Friday, March 27, 2026.

The players

George Russell

A Mercedes driver who topped the timesheets in Free Practice 1.

Kimi Antonelli

A Mercedes driver who finished second in Free Practice 1.

Lando Norris

A McLaren driver who finished third in Free Practice 1.

Oscar Piastri

A McLaren driver who finished fourth in Free Practice 1.

Max Verstappen

A Red Bull driver who finished seventh in Free Practice 1 despite the team's new aero upgrades.

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What they’re saying

“I had no idea the Williams was there. That was my mistake.”

— Sergio Perez

What’s next

The FIA will investigate the incident between Perez and Albon after the session.

The takeaway

The opening practice session at Suzuka highlighted the ongoing development race in Formula 1, with Mercedes and McLaren showing strong pace while Red Bull's new upgrades failed to deliver immediate results. The unexpected break before the Miami Grand Prix will be crucial for teams to address the reliability and performance issues that have plagued the grid so far this season.