World champions McLaren outpaced early 2026 championship leaders Mercedes as Oscar Piastri topped the second Friday practice timesheet for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Having been off the pace in the first two race weekends of F1's new era, and failing to take the race start with either car last time out in China, McLaren looked a far more competitive proposition throughout the opening day's practice running at Suzuka.

After running Mercedes close in the day's first practice session, the reigning two-time constructors' champions moved ahead in the second hour of running.

Piastri set the pace on a 1:30.133 to finish 0.092s quicker than Kimi Antonelli and 0.205s faster than George Russell, the world championship leader who had topped first practice.

Lando Norris was fourth and half a second back in the other McLaren, although he missed almost all of the first half of the session due to a hydraulic leak on his car. The world champion had two off-track moments, first at Spoon and then at the chicane, during his 16 laps on track.

But Norris' compromised session was still enough to see him also finish ahead of the Ferraris, Mercedes' closest challenger in the opening two race weekends.

The Scuderia's drivers finished over 0.7s off the pace on day one here, with Charles Leclerc fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth.

Hamilton was only 0.134s slower than Leclerc on the short soft-tyre runs but said over team radio at the end of the later race simulations: "I am very slow because I have no confidence in the car."

But there were again seemingly far deeper pace problems for Red Bull, the winners of the last four Japanese GPs with Max Verstappen.

After finishing 0.7s off the pace in the first session, Red Bull's deficit widened to almost 1.4 in the second session with Max Verstappen 10th and Isack Hadjar 15th. The RB22 has been upgraded this weekend but both drivers appeared to be struggling for grip around the acrobatic layout.

More to follow...

Saturday March 28
2.15am: Japanese GP Practice Three (session starts at 2.30am)*
5am: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up*
6am: JAPANESE GP QUALIFYING*
8am: Ted's Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday March 29
4.30am: Japanese GP build-up - Grand Prix Sunday*
6am: THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*
8am: Japanese GP reaction - Chequered Flag*
9am: Ted's Notebook*

*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 heads to the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime