Valtteri Bottas
© RV Press
By Dan Knutson in Suzuka
The Formula 1 teams and drivers were in a rush to get a lot of work done during Free Practice 1 for the Japanese Grand Prix. Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions were canceled because of the rain and wind created by Typhoon Hagibis, so the teams needed to get Saturday’s chassis set-up work done on Friday. Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton did the best jobs as they ended up on top of the time sheets.
The line-up for the weekend was: Mercedes – Hamilton and Bottas; Ferrari – Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc; Red Bull TAG Heuer – Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon; Renault – Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg; Haas Ferrari – Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; McLaren Renault – Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris; Racing Point Mercedes – Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll; Alfa Romeo Ferrari – Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi; Toro Rosso Honda – Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly; Williams Mercedes – George Russell and Robert Kubica.
Japan's Naoki Yamamoto, 31, made his Formula 1 debut when he drove Gasly’s Toro Rosso in first practice at his home grand prix. He is reigning champion in Japan's Super Formula and Super GT series. He is Jenson Button’s teammate in the latter category.
"To get this chance at Suzuka – a very important circuit for all Japanese racing drivers – in front of such a big crowd of Japanese fans, will make the experience even more special," Yamamoto said. "I have prepared as well as possible for this, spending time as part of the Toro Rosso team at several grand prix weekends, and I have also worked in the Red Bull simulator.”
Sainz and Kubica were the first drivers out on 3.608-mile (5.807 km) 18-turn Suzuka circuit. But Sainz did not get far as his McLaren stopped just before Turn 1. "Something failed, I don't know," he radioed.
The VSC was deployed for six minutes while the marshals pushed the car back to the McLaren garage.
The ambient temperature at the start of the 90-minute session was 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Centigrade). There was only a 10 percent chance of rain.
Proof that FP1 was a rush job was when even the Mercedes drivers, who normally wait in the garage for about the first 10 minutes, were quickly on track. Bottas clocked the first lap time – a 1:31.831 – which Hamilton then beat with a 1:31.723.
Hamilton lowered his best to 1:30.832, while Bottas got down to 1:30.918. Both were using Pirelli’s medium compound slicks.
By the half-hour mark Verstappen was up to third after clocking a 1:31.051. Leclerc, Vettel, Albon, Perez and Norris rounded out the top eight.
At the 40-minute break the order was: Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Verstappen, Vettel, Albon, Perez, Norris, Stroll and Grosjean. Yamamoto was 17th. Sainz had managed to get back out for an additional three laps.
Then Bottas posted a 1:30.524 and Hamilton a 1:30.705. Both were still on the medium tires.
Sainz, now on the soft slicks, jumped up to fifth place. And Raikkonen, also on the soft Pirellis, moved into seventh.
The Ferraris had used the softs earlier in the session, but now Vettel had a fresh set and took the lead with a 1:29.720. And Leclerc got second by turning a 1:29.912.
The top 10 continued to be reshuffled as Stroll claimed fifth place ahead of Verstappen and Sainz. Next, Verstappen moved into third behind the two Ferraris.
Then, with just under 30 minutes remaining, the Merc drivers lapped on the soft Pirellis. Hamilton slammed in a 1:28.807. Bottas then posted best times in all three sectors to take the lead with his own 1:28.731.
With most of the runs on new soft tires completed, the order was Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Leclerc, Verstappen, Albon, Perez, Stroll, Sainz and Grosjean with 20 minutes remaining. But then Sainz moved up to seventh.
During the final part of FP1 the emphasis switched to long runs on worn tires.
When the rush job was over, the top 10 were: Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Leclerc, Verstappen, Albon, Sainz, Perez, Stroll and Norris. Yamamoto was 17th just one spot behind Kvyat in the other Toro Rosso.
