Antonelli leads Mercedes 1-2 in dominant Japanese GP FP3

Kimi Antonelli led a commanding Mercedes 1-2 in the final practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, setting a benchmark time that left the rest of the field, led by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, nearly nine-tenths of a second adrift. The Silver Arrows reasserted their dominance after missing the top spot in FP2, with both drivers comfortably breaking into the 1m29s bracket on soft tires. Reigning champion Lando Norris managed only limited running for McLaren due to an ERS issue but still salvaged sixth place.

Why it matters:

Mercedes' overwhelming pace advantage in FP3 sends a clear warning to its rivals ahead of qualifying. Such a significant margin, if replicated, positions the team as the clear favorite for pole position and suggests they have unlocked strong one-lap performance at the Suzuka circuit. For McLaren and Ferrari, closing this gap before the afternoon session becomes the critical challenge.

The details:

• Antonelli's time of 1m29.362s was 0.254s clear of teammate George Russell, with the pair trading fastest laps throughout the soft-tire running phase.
• Charles Leclerc was best of the rest for Ferrari, but his time of 1m30.229s highlighted the chasm to Mercedes. His session was further compromised by a late off-track excursion at Spoon Corner.
• McLaren's Mixed Session: Oscar Piastri continued a solid weekend in fourth, while Lando Norris faced adversity. The champion spent much of the session in the garage as the team addressed an ERS battery issue, with his participation initially deemed "highly unlikely." He returned late to complete 13 laps and secure P6.
• Red Bull's Struggle: Max Verstappen endured another difficult outing, finishing eighth and 1.5 seconds off the pace while reporting ongoing balance concerns over team radio.
• Best of the Rest: Nico Hulkenberg impressed to take seventh for Audi, ahead of Verstappen. A significant 1.720s gap covered the top ten, underlining Mercedes' advantage.
• Session Incidents: Oliver Bearman (Haas) spun at Spoon but recovered without damage, earning praise from George Russell. Traffic also became a major factor in the closing minutes, hindering lap improvements across the grid.

What's next:

All eyes turn to qualifying at 3 PM local time to see if Mercedes can convert its practice supremacy into a front-row lockout. The key battles will be for the remaining top-ten grid slots, with Ferrari, McLaren, and Audi looking to close the gap. Teams will also be racing to resolve any technical gremlins, like McLaren's ERS issue, before the competitive hour begins.