Norris Leads Tight McLaren 1-2 in Drama-Filled Suzuka FP3 Ahead of Japanese GP Qualifying

Suzuka, Japan – The final practice session ahead of Japanese Grand Prix qualifying delivered drama and intrigue, with McLaren's Lando Norris ultimately setting the pace, narrowly leading a 1-2 for the Woking team at a sun-drenched Suzuka circuit.

After topping FP1 on Friday, Norris put down a late marker of 1m 27.965s on the soft tyres, pipping teammate Oscar Piastri – Friday's FP2 pacesetter – by a mere 0.026 seconds. However, the closeness of the field suggests qualifying could be an incredibly tight affair.

Tight Margins at the Top

The final timesheet highlighted the fierce competition expected later today. George Russell continued his strong form for Mercedes, slotting into third place, just over a tenth behind Norris (0.127s adrift). Charles Leclerc backed up Ferrari's improving one-lap pace to take fourth, with Max Verstappen rounding out the top five for Red Bull after focusing on harder compounds earlier in the session. Lewis Hamilton completed the top six in the second Ferrari.

The tiny gaps, particularly between the McLarens and Russell, underscore the importance of a perfect lap when qualifying gets underway. With tricky wind conditions catching drivers out – Norris himself had a moment wide through the Degners – mistakes could prove costly.

Red Flags Disrupt Crucial Preparations

The session wasn't without its interruptions. Two separate red flag periods significantly hampered teams' run plans. Both stoppages appeared to be caused by small fires adjacent to the track, similar to issues seen on Friday.

This lost track time is particularly crucial given the disruptions during FP2, meaning teams are still lacking comprehensive long-run data on the harder C1 and C2 Pirelli compounds brought to this demanding circuit. While FP3 is primarily focused on qualifying simulations, the lost laps will leave teams with less information heading into Sunday's Grand Prix, especially concerning tyre degradation on heavier fuel loads.

The second red flag came late in the session, frustrating drivers like Verstappen and Hamilton who had just emerged on fresh soft tyres aiming for a final qualifying simulation. A queue formed at the pit exit in the dying moments, with drivers hoping for a resumption just to perform practice starts, but the clock ran out before the track went green again.

Notable Moments and Team Insights

Mercedes: Russell looked comfortable, while rookie Kimi Antonelli, learning the challenging Suzuka layout for the first time, finished further down the order but gathered valuable mileage.
Red Bull: Verstappen completed plenty of laps on the hard tyre early on, gathering race data before his late, interrupted soft tyre run. Yuki Tsunoda, in his first weekend as a full-time Red Bull driver, showed promise, initially slotting into P5 on his soft run before being bumped down, indicating solid pace but perhaps not quite matching the ultimate speed of the McLarens and Russell in this session.
Ferrari: Leclerc's P4 suggests their work on single-lap pace is yielding results. Hamilton wasn't far behind in P6. Carlos Sainz had a brief off-track excursion in his Williams, running wide onto the grass after catching dirty air.
Midfield Mix: Alex Albon put his Williams as high as P5 earlier in the session. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) also featured in the top ten at various points. Hadjar reported a cockpit issue early on but returned to the track.
Incident: F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto had a heart-stopping moment, catching the grass and executing a skillful save to prevent a spin.
Alpine: Jack Doohan was back in the car and declared fit after his significant FP2 crash, gaining crucial mileage after missing FP1.

What to Watch for in Qualifying

With Norris, Piastri, and Russell separated by just over a tenth, and Leclerc and Verstappen close behind, qualifying is poised to be a nail-biter. McLaren appears to have the slight edge, but Mercedes and Ferrari are firmly in the hunt, while Red Bull can never be counted out. The changing wind conditions and the pressure of the notoriously challenging Suzuka circuit could easily shuffle the pack.

Don't miss qualifying later today to see who will claim pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix!