Hamilton: I’m happy with the direction we took

Lewis Hamilton ended the day fourth fastest, with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in P7, but both drivers suggested there was more performance to come as they gathered valuable data under changing conditions at Suzuka. The seven-time F1 World Champion is happy with the direction they took after FP1.

The first sector of the iconic circuit has been resurfaced for this year’s race, offering increased grip and allowing drivers to push harder through the sweeping curves. Wind gusts also played a role in car behaviour, and with rain forecast for Sunday, Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions could prove especially decisive.

In the morning session, Hamilton and Leclerc ran both Medium and Soft tyres, setting best times of 1:28.965 and 1:29.051 respectively – good enough for third and fourth. The pair then switched back to the Mediums for longer runs in race trim, with Leclerc completing 27 laps to Hamilton’s 25.

The afternoon hour was more turbulent, beginning with Jack Doohan’s heavy crash at Turn 1 that triggered a 20-minute red flag to repair the barriers. Leclerc managed one flying lap on Hard tyres before Fernando Alonso went off at Degner, causing another stoppage.

Once running resumed, both Ferrari drivers switched to Softs. Hamilton posted a 1:28.544 to go fourth quickest, with Leclerc initially managing a 1:28.617. A fire caused by burning grass at Turn 9 led to a third red flag, after which the team split strategies for the final minutes.

Leclerc on used Softs and Hamilton on a heavier-fuel run on Hards. Leclerc improved slightly to a 1:28.586, remaining seventh, before yet another grass fire ended the session prematurely. Each driver completed 14 laps in FP2.

Hamilton praised the team’s progress and the Suzuka circuit’s unique character: “Overall it was a positive day. This is an incredible track and the first sector feels great – you can really push there, especially with the new surface.

"In FP1 the balance wasn’t as good as it could have been, but we made strong progress between sessions and I’m happy with the direction we took. There’s still some work to do overnight, and with the weather set to change, we’ll need to stay focussed – but we’re in a good position and I’m excited to see what we can do.

"It was amazing seeing so many of my fans in red, which I’m really grateful for and I hope I can bring them some good results this weekend!" added Hamilton, a six-time Grand Prix winner at Suzuka.

Despite the interruptions, Leclerc said the team gained useful insights: “It was a constructive day, we tried many different set-ups throughout the practice sessions and I feel that I learned a lot about our car and how we can extract the most from it in the upcoming races.

“We didn’t put everything together, with multiple red flags and traffic interrupting FP2, but I think that our performance is better than it is on paper right now. It will be interesting to see how the change in conditions, in particular in terms of the wind direction, will affect tomorrow’s sessions.”

Final practice begins at 11:30 local time on Saturday, with qualifying at 15:00. Rain remains a strong possibility for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Ferrari are looking to bounce back from a bittersweet weekend last time out in China. First, Hamilton masterfully and sensationally won the Sprint Race in Shanghai. But a day later both cars were disqualified, after a low-key Grand Prix.