F1 LIVE | FP2 for the Japanese Grand Prix: Long runs and qualifying sims

LIVE | Second free practice for the Japanese Grand Prix

In the first free practice, we saw the first indications of the balance of power on the Suzuka Circuit. More representative, however, is the second session on Friday, in which the F1 teams complete the race simulations with their drivers. After FP2, more will become clear about how the drivers will fare in the race on Sunday.

After a disappointing weekend in Singapore, Red Bull Racing are again seen as the big favourites for victory in Japan. It would mean a lot for engine partner Honda if the team manages to win the constructors' title this weekend, and so the team of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will do everything they can to achieve that.

Red Bull are looking for revenge after the first F1 weekend without a podium this year, but Carlos Sainz's victory in Singapore will leave Ferrari wanting more. The Italian racing team may again have to compete with Mercedes and McLaren, who also performed strongly at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

The Suzuka circuit

The Japanese track is well-known worldwide for its layout, made of a thrilling sequence of fast left-hand turns and some iconic corners like the Spoon Curve and the famous 130R. This makes Suzuka one of the most complete circuits on the calendar, where aerodynamics, mechanics and power unit all make the difference around a single lap. Over the race, the tyres (especially the fronts) are really stressed, so that's another factor teams need to manage. Finding the right set-up is, therefore, crucial to have a clean weekend, so let’s see which choices have been made by the teams this year.