McLaren’s Piastri and Norris Shine Amid Turbulent Japanese Grand Prix Practice

The second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix saw McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris dominate amid track disruptions caused by multiple red flags, including grass fires. Piastri led the session with a top lap, while the chaos left many drivers unable to gather data ahead of Saturday's qualifying.

McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris excelled during a chaotic second practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday. The session, marred by four red flags and unexpected grass fires, saw Piastri clock a fastest lap of one minute, 28.114 seconds as others struggled with track access.

Amid the disruptions, Norris maintained a strong performance, topping the first practice and finishing second in the later session. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls' rookie Isack Hadjar trailed close behind. The unpredictable session resulted in limited running time, posing a challenge for teams ahead of Saturday's qualifying.

Further drama unfolded as Jack Doohan's car spun off early, followed by Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin ending up in the gravel during the resumed session. These incidents, coupled with subsequent grass fires, brought about premature stoppages, frustrating spectators who witnessed Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda finish sixth for Red Bull.

(With inputs from agencies.)