McLaren Struggles Continue at Japanese Grand Prix Free Practice 3

Reigning World Champion Lando Norris nearly misses final practice session due to energy recovery issues

Mar. 28, 2026 at 3:54am

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The final practice session before qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix saw continued struggles for the McLaren team, with reigning World Champion Lando Norris nearly missing the session entirely due to issues with the car's energy recovery system. Despite the setbacks, Mercedes and Ferrari drivers dominated the timesheets, while Red Bull's Verstappen and Hadjar struggled to match expectations.

Why it matters

The McLaren team's energy recovery problems could have major implications for their performance in qualifying and the race, potentially jeopardizing their chances of a strong result. The tight gaps between the top teams also suggest an exciting qualifying session and race to come at Suzuka.

The details

In Free Practice 3, Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell topped the timesheets, followed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. However, Lando Norris was unable to participate in much of the session due to issues with the energy recovery system in his McLaren. The team worked overnight to address the problems, but the discovery of deeper issues related to energy harvesting nearly left Norris without any track time before qualifying.

  • McLaren discovered the energy recovery issues overnight after Friday's practice sessions.
  • Lando Norris nearly missed Free Practice 3 due to the problems with his car.

The players

Lando Norris

The reigning Formula 1 World Champion, driving for the McLaren team.

McLaren

The British Formula 1 team that has been struggling with energy recovery issues on their cars.

Kimi Antonelli

The Mercedes driver who topped the timesheets in Free Practice 3.

George Russell

The Mercedes driver who finished second in Free Practice 3.

Charles Leclerc

The Ferrari driver who finished third in Free Practice 3.

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What they’re saying

“We must get on top of these energy recovery issues as soon as possible. It's frustrating to have such a promising start to the weekend unravel like this.”

— Lando Norris, Formula 1 Driver, McLaren

“The pace is there, but we need to ensure the reliability and energy deployment is dialed in before qualifying. It's going to be a tight battle at the front.”

— Kimi Antonelli, Formula 1 Driver, Mercedes

What’s next

The McLaren team will work to resolve the energy recovery issues on Lando Norris' car before qualifying, which will be crucial for their chances in the race.

The takeaway

The Japanese Grand Prix weekend has been a rollercoaster for McLaren, with promising pace on Friday followed by significant setbacks in Free Practice 3 due to energy recovery problems. The tight gaps at the front of the field suggest an exciting qualifying session and race to come, but McLaren's reliability woes could jeopardize their chances of a strong result.