Norris pips Russell and Leclerc in first practice of F1 Japan GP
4th April 2025McLaren’s Lando Norris has topped the opening practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend as he set the pace ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Feature image credit: CC
Formula 1 returned for its first triple header of the season, starting in Japan before it moved off to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia for rounds three, four and five of the championship.
All eyes were primarily on Yuki Tsunoda, who made his official debut for Red Bull Racing, having finally gotten his promotion to the senior team. This came after Liam Lawson was demoted to Racing Bull’s after the Chinese Grand Prix, following two poor back-to-back weekends.
In the opening stints of the session, there was a full mix of tyres on display as some opted for the hards, others ran the mediums or softs first.
So, who finished where in Free Practice 1?
Norris topped the timing boards as the fastest driver out on track ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, who was the early pace setter, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, in second, third and fourth, respectively.
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen finished the session down in fifth ahead of his new teammate, Tsunoda, who occupied sixth.
Fernando Alonso, of Aston Martin, was seventh as the Spaniard led the remaining top 10 drivers; Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Carlos Sainz (Williams) in eighth, ninth and 10th.
Sainz’s teammate, Alexander Albon, was the fastest driver in the bottom 10, in 11th overall, eight-tenths off the pace of Norris.
Alpine’s duo of Ryo Hirakawa and Pierre Gasly were the last drivers to be within a second of Norris’ time, in 12th and 14th, joined with Lawson in the middle, in 13th.
Hirakawa took part in the session as the first FP1 rookie of the season, taking Jack Doohan’s seat for the first hour.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the session down in 15th as the first driver to be outside a second of his teammate’s best time.
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) finished 16th ahead of the two Kick Saubers and Haas’s, who completed the 20-car field. Nico Hulkenberg finished ahead of the Haas duo of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, whilst his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto finished 20th.
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- Haas F1 reveal cherry blossom livery ahead of Japan GP
- Liam Lawson shares first post after Red Bull axe
- Liam Lawson dropped Yuki Tsunoda promoted for Japan GP
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
