Oscar Piastri topped a chaotic Japanese Grand Prix second practice session during which a huge Jack Doohan crash caused one of four red flags.
Piastri edged team-mate and Drivers’ Championship leader Lando Norris by half a tenth of a second as McLaren continued their early-season dominance, but four interruptions allowed cars to be on track for just 20 of the scheduled 60 minutes.
Doohan, who hadn’t driven first practice earlier on Friday as Alpine opted to run reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa at his home race instead of the Australian rookie, lost control of his car at the high-speed first corner and shunted into the barrier, losing two wheels in the process.
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Alpine’s Jack Doohan brought out an early red flag in practice two of the Japanese Grand Prix after a massive high-speed crash on the first corner
The 22-year-old, who Alpine said was “ok” after the session, was helped from the car and there was a delay of about 20 minutes as the barriers were repaired.
Just seven minutes after the session resumed, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso highlighted the difficulty of the windy conditions with an uncharacteristic error that left his Aston Martin beached in the gravel after a spin at Turn 8.
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Fernando Alonso beaches his car and brings out the second red flag of practice two at the Japanese Grand Prix
With the rest of the field frantically attempting to get qualifying simulations done, the session was then red flagged again due to grass at the side of the track catching fire from sparks flying from the floors of cars.
There was another brief flurry of action, which saw Piastri edge out Norris in a battle that looks set to run for the rest of the weekend, before the grass caught fire once more in the closing stages to trigger a fourth red flag and end the session.
More to follow…
Japanese GP Practice Two Timesheet
Driver
Team
Time
1) Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:28.114
2) Lando Norris
McLaren
+0.049
3) Isack Hadjar
RB
+0.404
4) Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
+0.430
5) Liam Lawson
RB
+0.445
6) George Russell
Mercedes
+0.453
7) Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
+0.472
8) Max Verstappen
Red Bull
+0.556
9) Pierre Gasly
Alpine
+0.643
10) Carlos Sainz
Williams
+0.718
11) Alex Albon
Williams
+0.909
12) Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber
+0.948
13) Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
+1.221
14) Esteban Ocon
Haas
+1.393
15) Oliver Bearman
Haas
+1.540
16) Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
+1.619
17) Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
+1.864
18) Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull
+2.511
19) Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
+2.731
20) Jack Doohan
Alpine
+3.545
Sky Sports F1’s live Japanese GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Japanese Grand Prix
Saturday April 5
3.15am: Japanese GP Practice Three (session starts at 3.30am)*6am: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up*7am: Japanese GP Qualifying*9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
Sunday April 6
4.30am: Japanese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*6am: THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*8am: Japanese GP reaction: Chequered Flag*9am: Ted’s Notebook*
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula is at the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
AloJapan.com