Piastri tops rain-affected second practice
Verstappen fastest in first practice; but did not run in second session
Sargeant crashes his Williams in FP1
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Lewis Hamilton is doing his bit and completing an exploratory lap, getting a feel for the conditions after the rain. The seven-time world champion tells his pit wall the track is "pretty dry, just a couple of small spots" but Bono tells him to go careful on those kerbs.
Image source, Getty ImagesThese fans are giving McLaren driver Oscar Piastri an early birthday greeting, as the Australian driver turns (gulp) 23 years old during tomorrow's qualifying day. We'll keep an eye out to see whether he receives his little mini Oscars.
Is that a car? Yes! Lewis Hamilton takes to the track on the mediums.
Image source, Getty ImagesF1 usually arrives at the iconic Suzuka circuit in the autumn when plenty of racing has taken place and world championships are potentially decided.
But this year the Japanese Grand Prix gets a new slot in spring as part of the sport's efforts to become more sustainable - it is aiming to become carbon net-zero by 2030.
Moving Japan to a part of the year where it is in a run of races including Australia and China reduces the distance freight travels around the globe.
In February Suzuka signed a five-year contract extension to host the race until at least 2029.
How much do the Japanese fans spend on their outfits for the grand prix weekend? There's a guy in full Mercedes gear who, if you swap his helmet for a blue one, could easily pass for George Russell, as he is the exact same height as the British driver.
Still no action on the track, even though Russell is actually sat in the car...
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Martin have taken to Japan the latest - and biggest so far - of what they hope will be a consistent development plan this year. New sidepods, with shaping very reminiscent of the Red Bull, and a new floor edge are hoped to improve both performance and the team’s off-set between qualifying speed and race pace this year - the opposite of last year, when they were stronger in races than over one lap.
Fernando Alonso said: “More downforce will address also the tyre degradation we have. So far we have been very aggressive on the development of the car. A new part in Jeddah on the front suspension, a tweak on the front wing in Australia and now another package.
"Every race we've been driving a different car, which is a good sign of what we want to achieve this year - being very aggressive off track."Last year, we learned a lesson, starting very good and then not changing the car enough was painful in the second part of the season. This year, hopefully we are a little bit stronger on the second half compared to the first half.”
The coats and umbrellas are out at the circuit because the wet stuff has made an appearance. The forecast is quite mixed across the weekend, with Sunday noted down a day the rain could be at its heaviest, but that prediction seems to have eased off over past few hours.
The drivers are all just milling around, in no rush to get out.
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesWilliams team principal James Vowles said that the chassis survived the accident but that the rest of the damage was substantial.
And now the team have confirmed Logan Sargeant will not take part in second practice.
Williams said: "Due to the extent of damage to Logan Sargeant’s car, he will not participate in FP2. The team will continue repairs in time for tomorrow’s Free Practice session."
Image source, Getty ImagesThe one thing Williams didn't need this weekend was a crash but unfortunately, Logan Sargeant brought out a red flag after a heavy impact with the barriers at Turn Seven.
Sargeant is driving the repaired chassis at Suzuka - the one that was broken in Alex Albon's crash in Melbourne - and the team does not have a spare for round four in Japan.
At the top of the timesheets, Max Verstappen clocked the fastest time on the soft tyre with a 1:30.056 and led team-mate Sergio Perez in a Red Bull one-two.
Australian Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz finished the session in third and the Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were fourth and fifth respectively.
Image source, Getty ImagesHello, folks.
Welcome back if you've been with us since the very early start time; nice to have you with us if you're joining us for the first time whilst eating your brekkie and getting ready for work.
Second practice at the iconic Suzuka circuit gets under way at 07:00 BST.
Live commentary with Harry Benjamin, British racing driver Alice Powell and BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson is available on BBC Radio 5 Sports extra, BBC Sounds and at the top of this page using the audio icon.
One down, one to go for Friday's practice running.
Time for us all to make a little pit stop, maybe have a coffee (or two) and come back together at 07:00 BST for second practice.
Will we see rain? Possibly.
See you shortly.
11. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
12. Alex Albon (Williams)
13. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
14. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
15. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
16. Ayumu Iwasa (RB)
17. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
18. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
19. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
20. Logan Sargeant (Williams)
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:30.056
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.181
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.213
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.476
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.487
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.502
7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.543
8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.109
9. Yuki Tsunoda (RB) +1.174
10. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.184
First practice in the books at Suzuka.
Max Verstappen tops the timesheets with a 1:30.056 on the soft compound, followed by Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, and the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Two British fans catch themselves on the big screens at the circuit and celebrated enthusiastically. Just team shirts and caps, though, and not the full race suits the Japanese supporters are wearing.
The driver they're cheering is Lewis Hamilton, who comes into the pits for a quick run out on the mediums, after a decent stint on the soft tyres.
The soft tyres have done their job for Max Verstappen, so Red Bull switch the reigning world champion back to the hard compound for the remaining minutes of this session. Over at McLaren, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are continuing their run plan on the medium rubber.
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:30.056
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.181
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.213
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.474
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.487
Image source, Getty ImagesCarlos Sainz savoured every second of his victory at the Australian Grand Prix. Not just because it was his first win of the 2024 season, but because the poor fella had been lying in a hospital bed only 16 days prior recovering from an appendicectomy.
Joining Alex Albon as the second driver on the current grid to race with no appendix, Sainz, who started P2, breezed past polesitter Max Verstappen on the second lap before the three-time world champion dropped out with a brake failure.
Can he replicate that winning feeling this weekend? Sainz is on the soft tyres and slots into third place with a 1:30.269.
Sergio Perez also put in a strong lap to follow his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen to the top of the timesheets. The Mexican is just 0.181 seconds off the Dutchman's time with a 1:30.237.
Yes he can. The Red Bull driver crosses the line to clock a 1:30.056 on his soft run. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who has made the trip to Japan to oversee the weekend, sits looking on in the garage, stony-faced.
The track is full as drivers jostle for position with only 17 minutes left of this first practice session. Max Verstappen is one of many to switched to the soft tyres and the triple world champion goes purple in the opening sector. Can he beat Lewis Hamilton's quickest marker?