Back on track for FP2, we were catapulted a bit like in Back to the future, to 2019 when it was last run at Suzuka. In fact, quite exceptionally, the Federation has granted the teams 90 minutes of Free Practice, a format that has changed since 2021. The reason? There Pirelli was supposed to provide the teams with the new 2023 products to test in the blind tests in this extra half hour. Tests which, due to the weather conditions, were postponed to the FP in Mexico beyond Austin, a stage already scheduled for these tests. Nonetheless, FP2 maintained the initial programme, therefore with the single-seaters on the track for 90 minutes, also in this case, in the rain. These conditions cannot tell us what values we will see in qualifying given that they will be raced in the dry. They could already be more indicative for Sunday, given that the latest forecasts bring rain. FP2 therefore ended with a 1-2 Mercedes with Russell in front of Hamilton and Verstappen.

Where were we
Le FP1 closed under a pouring rain, which, even if at times less intense, conditioned the ranking up to bring us an extraordinary Fernando Alonso in P1 followed by Ferrari by Sainz e Leclerc. There are pilots like Max Verstappen in fact, that they shot very little in the first session. The Dutchman only managed 4 laps. Essential, in short, to get a little familiar with the track which had been missing for more than two years on the calendar.
FP1 ended with Mick Schumacher heavily finished to the wall in the return lap from the starting tests. Crash that compromised his presence in FP2. In fact, the team necessarily had to change several components on Mick's car, including the chassis. Another point against the German from Haas who begins to fear losing his place in F1 after only a couple of running seasons.

Compared to FP1, the riders had more time to "switch" from an extreme wet compound to an intermediate one. Giving us more thrills. An interesting factor concerns the decision to compromise those compounds in such a long session, among other things. The degradation for several riders was in fact quite accentuated at the front. Everyone tried to save the intermediates in view of the race, which is why some drivers took to the track in FP2 with trains that were already used and therefore more worn out, or others entered for several minutes of the session. There were also those who finished the session a few minutes early, including the McLaren duo who only managed 20 laps in total between the two riders. Daniel Ricciardo finished in P17, lapping for 9 laps immediately behind teammate Lando Norris in P16, with 11 laps behind him.
Home Mercedes Russell the fastest
Compared to FP1, problems solved, the second free practice session smiled at the Brackley team with George Russell who imposed himself on the group taking an advantage of about two tenths from his teammate Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes in these conditions proved to be the most efficient car. They could therefore be the true joker of the weekend at Honda. Also taking advantage of one Red Bull not very incisive and still being studied on this first day of testing.
Ferrari continues to test the new fund
The question that everyone tried to answer as soon as they turned on the TV was whether Ferrari actually has a new fund for the weekend at Suzuka. Yes, the Maranello team has brought one new solution to try to generate load despite a higher ground clearance. Ferrari in FP1 as well as in FP2 chose to take more risks by lapping more insistently according to the new background for the weekend, however using a more charged rear wing specification than in FP1. The track in these conditions is slippery and during the second session there were a couple of excursions on the gravel, such as that of Charles who complained of having no feeling. The Monegasque found the cause of the lock in the left front, probably already damaged, before ending up in the gravel without evident damage. His session ends in P11 almost 3 seconds behind the leader.
In conclusion, we remind you that the Maranello team is not the only one to have brought updates to Japan. Specifically AlphaTauri brought a new rear wing; Alfa Romeo nose and front wing; Aston Martin beam wing; Williams bonnet to reduce drag.
That's all for today from Suzuka! We leave you with all times of FP2