Suzuka, April 4, 2025 – Championship leader Lando Norris kicked off the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix weekend in style, setting the fastest time in Friday’s first practice session.
Driving his McLaren with confidence and flair, Norris posted a benchmark lap of 1:28.549, despite briefly going off track and kicking up gravel after reporting tyre graining issues on the newly-resurfaced Suzuka Circuit.
This session marked another impressive start for Norris, who has been in scintillating form throughout the season. His pace reaffirmed his intent to extend his championship lead and maintain momentum as the series nears its halfway mark. Though his early session excursion raised a few eyebrows, Norris quickly regained composure to top the timesheets, continuing his run as one of the most consistent performers this year.
Behind Norris, George Russell clocked the second-fastest time for Mercedes, with the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton closely behind. Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, battled persistent understeer in his SF-25, but still managed to stay within striking distance.
While Norris commanded attention at the front, local fans were equally captivated by Yuki Tsunoda’s debut weekend in a Red Bull car. Tsunoda, who recently swapped seats with Liam Lawson, ended the session an impressive sixth, just a tenth of a second behind teammate Max Verstappen. His performance, though under close scrutiny, is seen as a strong start in his upgraded machinery.
There were several off-track excursions during the session, including from Williams’ Alex Albon and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, both of whom ran wide at the hairpin. Despite these incidents, the session proceeded smoothly.
Japanese motorsport fans had more to cheer with Ryo Hirakawa’s appearance in an F1 car. The 31-year-old WEC star stepped into the Alpine cockpit in place of Jack Doohan and put in a solid showing, finishing 12th—two places ahead of Alpine’s regular driver Pierre Gasly.
As for Norris, Friday’s performance solidifies his status as the man to beat this weekend. With qualifying still to come, all eyes will remain on whether Norris can translate his early dominance into pole position—and eventually another win to strengthen his championship campaign.