FP2 – Japan: The Mercedes surprise the Red Bulls

Ultra discreet in free trials 1, Mercedes took a step forward in free practice 2, achieving the two best times of the session. George Russell indeed dominated Lewis Hamilton, in front of a ticket Red Bull Max Verstappen-Sergio Perez. As in FP1, the track was wet, with a first half hour on Rain tires and a final hour on Intermediate tires. 

For the first time this season, the free practice session lasted 1h30 instead of the hour normally allocated. For what ? Because these EL2s were supposed to host the first Pirelli tire test of the 2023 mounts. The only problem was that the race management declared the track wet, preventing the test from taking place. However, due to the broadcasters' programmatic obligations, the one-hour-and-a-half format was maintained. 

Mercedes-Red Bull duel in EL2

The opportunity to immerse yourself in the format of recent years, and not to regret it. As is often the case, the majority of the leading drivers waited until the end of the first half hour to go out on track. Before that, Nicholas latifi had had a little fun establishing the first mark, immediately beaten by Carlos Sainz. The Canadian was trapped again like in EL1, and like Charles Leclerc and Checo Perez on the slow left of the track, without consequences for any of the drivers.

An hour before the end of the session, the Mercedes and Red Bulls took their turn to take the track and unknowingly launched into a time battle. King of the action, Max Verstappen immediately improved the best lap by 7/10th, when the Mercedes drivers were already on their second attempt. Ten minutes later, as Russell, Hamilton and Verstappen attempted their final fast lap at the same time, it was the young Briton who stole the show from the two 2021 rivals.

Schumacher did not ride

As for Ferrari, Carlos Sainz (6th) and Charles Leclerc (11th) did not exist. The Spaniard mainly did race simulations, complaining of degradation at the front and rear, when Charles Leclerc admitted to not having great sensations behind the wheel of the car. Note the nice 5th place of Kevin Magnussen, which had kept its train of new intermediaries for the end of the session. Best time in EL1, Fernando Alonso ranks 7th ahead Valtteri Bottas et Esteban Ocon. 10th place Guanyu-Zhou also confirms the good arrangements ofAlfa Romeo in these conditions. 

Author of a crash in free practice 1 after the checkered flag was waved, Mick Schumacher was not able to get back on the track. Even before the hour and a half of driving planned for FP2, Haas announced that the German would not race due to the chassis which had to be changed.