Verstappen manages only four laps in Japanese GP first practice
Max Verstappen manages only four laps in Japanese Grand Prix first practice before torrential rain turned the Suzuka racetrack into a river… but Fernando Alonso puts in a masterful drive to set the pace
- Championship leader was taking no chances as the heavens opened in Suzuka
- Red Bull driver went four laps in first practice before returning to the pit lane
- Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell managed 10 laps combined
- That left Alonso, soon to leave Alpine, the star of the show as he set the pace
Max Verstappen managed just four laps in a soaking wet first practice that was to prove a masterclass by Fernando Alonso.
The Spaniard, race winner here in 2006, timed it to perfection to punch in a 1.42.248 time before the heavy rain returned and large pools of water began to transform this circuit into something akin to a river.
Alonso had been effusive in his praise of Suzuka and his love for the circuit on Thursday and as others toiled with their strategy, the soon-to-depart Alpine driver emerged through the spray to finish P1.
Max Verstappen kicks up the spray on a sodden Suzuka track during first practice on Friday
The championship leader (right) is overtaken by his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez
Verstappen managed just four laps and was taking no risks as torrential rain started to fall
Much was made of the power unit issue that cost him his weekend in Singapore and given Alpine find themselves locked in a battle with McLaren in the constructors’ championship, this represents a positive indicator for the remainder of the weekend.
Fans perched on the grassy banks, all clad in rainproof ponchos, did their best to keep enthusiasm high but teams and drivers were leaving themselves open to little chance of jeopardy as few laps were completed.
Verstappen, who can win his second world title this weekend with a race win and the fastest lap, unsurprisingly was in no mood to take risks – why would he?
Fernando Alonso set the pace in first practice with a lap time of 1.42.248 in his Alpine
The Spaniard spoke of his affection for the Suzuka circuit in the build up to the weekend
But he did change the complexion of the session when he emerged from the dry of the Red Bull garage, producing two fastest sectors to go four points clear of everyone else.
In response his rivals opted for intermediate tyres and soon managed to find much quicker times, with Ferrari pair Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc running second and third behind Alonso. Verstappen finished seventh when the session came to its conclusion.
Lewis Hamilton only performed a short stint in the rain as the weekend started in soggy fashion
The crumpled car of Haas driver Mick Schumacher is towed away during first practice
Both Sainz and Leclerc did continue to push as the session wound down but they soon saw the hazards that came with it as they both found themselves running off track.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell managed 10 laps combined, with Hamilton 13th quickest, more than 2.3 seconds off the pace, and Russell down in 18th.
The biggest crash of the session came after it had finished with Haas’ Mick Schumacher losing the rear of his car before spinning off into the barriers at the exit of Turn 7, leaving him with a destroyed front wing.
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