FP1 at the 2026 F1 Japanese GP has been completed, view the full report here.
Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton kicked off the session with a 1:37.256, although he was beaten almost instantly by 0.010s as teammate Charles Leclerc pipped him.
After Oscar Piastri smashed in a 1:34.053, championship leader George Russell went 0.741s clear to get into the low 1:33s. The Aussie would respond, however, logging a 1:32.812. Once more the Brit came back, pumping in a 1:32.429 to go 0.383s ahead at the top.
Leclerc, Verstappen, Lawson, Hadjar, Hamilton, Gasly, Sainz and Antonelli rounded out the top 10 at the 11-minute mark.
On hards like the Mercedes, Charles Leclerc logged a 1:32.260 to go fastest, 0.013s in front of Russell. Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri were also within a tenth of the fastest time a third of the way through FP1 at the 2026 F1 Japanese GP.
Hadjar, Lindblad, Lawson, Verstappen, Hamilton and Sainz completed the top 10.
Down at Spoon, Lando Norris had a brief excursion on his first flying lap as he ran wide and ended up in the tarmac run-off.
Mercedes appear on softs first in FP1 at 2026 F1 Japanese GP
Championship leader George Russell logged a 1:31.755 on softs, going 0.277s faster than teammate Kimi Antonelli. Going quicker on a second attempt, the Brit had a snap in Spoon and had a similar moment to the defending World Champion.
Despite getting badly impeded by Sergio Pérez in the last sector, the driver of car #63 went P1 once more on a 1:31.666, 0.026s quicker than his Italian stablemate.
Both Racing Bulls also got wide at Spoon. While Lawson ran out of track, Lindblad had a massive snap on entry. Charles Leclerc joined in with a moment that was similar to the rookie.
Alex Albon had the luckiest escape. He had a snap in Degner 2, going through the gravel and touching the tyre barrier with his left rear.
In the final five minutes, Max Verstappen was the latest driver to go wide at Spoon.
Albon and Pérez collide
In a bizarre moment, Alex Albon was trying to pass Sergio Pérez down the inside going into the last chicane, but they ended up making sizeable contact. The Thai went for a spin and damaged his front wing. The FIA confirmed they would be investigating it post-FP1.
McLaren and Ferrari close to Mercedes
Although neither Mercedes put a perfect lap together, they held on to a 1-2 in FP1 at the 2026 F1 Japanese GP .
Lando Norris was 3rd, 0.132s slower than his fellow Brit. Piastri, Leclerc and Hamilton completed the top 6. 0.374s covered all of them.
Verstappen, Lawson, Ocon and Lindblad rounded out the top 10.
