Japanese Grand Prix: Lando Norris leads first practice session, Tsunoda impresses with Red Bull debut

McLaren's Lando Norris was on Friday (April 4) the fastest in the first practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit where Yuki Tsunoda made his debut for Red Bull Racing. Norris's fastest lap was 1m 28.549s with George Russell of Mercedes and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finishing second and third, respectively.

Tsunoda, who replaced New Zealand's Liam Lawson, impressed by staying close to his new teammate Max Verstappen. While Verstappen, the reigning F1 world champion, came in fifth, Tsunoda was one rank below him.

The Japanese Grand Prix follows races in Australia and China, marking the third round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.


Kiwi driver Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls and Tsunoda moved up to Red Bull Racing following poor show by the former in the first two races of the season.

Tsunoda, driving the white and red Red Bull car for Honda’s home race, gradually increased his pace throughout the session. He ended up just a tenth of a second slower than Verstappen in their initial soft tyre runs. Norris’s fastest lap came after a slight off-track excursion through the grass and gravel at the final chicane.

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari, ahead of Verstappen. Fernando Alonso placed his Aston Martin in seventh, followed by Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar. Kimi Antonelli finished ninth for Mercedes, despite a trip through the gravel at Turn 11. Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon completed the top 11.

Alpine reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa drove Jack Doohan’s car, finishing 12th. Lawson placed 13th in his return to Racing Bulls. Alpine's Pierre Gasly and McLaren's Oscar Piastri finished 14th and 15th, respectively. Lance Stroll placed 16th for Aston Martin. Nico Hulkenberg, Ollie Bearman, Esteban Ocon, and Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the field.

The second practice session is scheduled for 1500 local time on Friday. Teams and drivers will analyze data from the first session to prepare. This session will also last for one hour. The results from Practice 1 are as follows: 1. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1:28.549; 2. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.163s; 3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.416s; 4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.502s; 5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) +0.516s.

Tsunoda’s performance in his first official practice session with Red Bull Racing was a key storyline. His ability to keep pace with Verstappen, a seasoned Red Bull driver, suggests a promising start to his time with the team. Norris's continued strong form places him as a favorite going into the weekend. The updated track surface at Suzuka seems to be providing close competition, as evidenced by the tight gaps between the top drivers.

Norris’s off-track excursion demonstrates the challenges of the revised circuit. Despite this, he maintained his composure to set the fastest time. The practice session provided valuable track time for all drivers to familiarize themselves with the changes to Suzuka. Hirakawa’s participation gave Japanese fans another driver to support, alongside Tsunoda.