Sports · 27 March 2026
Piastri tops Japan practice. Why Mercedes remains the benchmark.
McLaren demonstrated improved pace during practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri topping FP2 ahead of both Mercedes drivers. However, Mercedes’ consistent speed across sessions suggests they remain the benchmark. While McLaren appears competitive over a single lap, questions remain over race pace and reliability. The early data points to a closer contest, but Mercedes still look better positioned heading into qualifying.
Reported by Formula1.com · How we write briefs