German team finishes free practice in front, while Audi puts two cars in the top 10 and draws attention
Read more F1: Check out the full FP3 results for the 2026 Japanese GP
The third and final free practice of the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix confirmed the scenario seen throughout the weekend in Suzuka: Mercedes is the team to beat. Kimi Antonelli was the fastest of the session, leading an FP3 that consolidated the German team’s dominance before the starting grid definition.
From the start of the session, a greater focus on qualifying simulations was already expected, with intense use of soft tires and alternating strategies between teams. Still, the balance between the cars remained evident, especially between Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren.
Antonelli took the lead with a solid lap, putting a consistent advantage over rivals and reinforcing Mercedes’ good momentum. George Russell was also competitive throughout the session, keeping the team in front and confirming the favoritism for qualifying in second position.
Ferrari appeared right behind, with Charles Leclerc as the main highlight. The Monegasque finished third, while Lewis Hamilton also showed good pace and stayed in the fight for the top positions, but was fourth behind Oscar Piastri.
McLaren followed closely, with Oscar Piastri placing himself between the Ferrari cars and reinforcing the trend of balance in the fight for the top. Lando Norris, who had problems at the start of the session related to the energy recovery system, managed to get on track later and still finished in a competitive position.
In the midfield, the highlight was Audi. Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg put both of the team’s cars inside the top 10, in P9 and P7, respectively, a consistent and encouraging result for the German team on a technical circuit like Suzuka.
Read more F1: Norris on the verge of penalty after McLaren failures
Bortoleto had a solid session, with highlight moments including outperforming his teammate in certain sections. The Brazilian also made adjustments to the car, such as changes in front wing pressure, seeking to optimize performance with soft tires.
Throughout the session, drivers faced typical Suzuka difficulties, with run-offs and errors at technical points of the circuit. Oliver Bearman, for example, had a full spin but managed to return to the track without major consequences. Liam Lawson also had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits.
In the final minutes, with most drivers having already completed their qualifying simulations, the session lost intensity and shifted focus to practice starts, indicating that significant changes in the timesheet were unlikely.
With the checkered flag, Antonelli confirmed the lead in FP3, closing free practice as the fastest driver of the weekend so far. Right behind, the main direct competitors appear, with McLaren and Ferrari staying close.
Mercedes, however, emerges as the clear favorite for qualifying which takes place later tonight, at 3 AM (Brasília time), in Suzuka. Follow it live and in real-time on F1Mania.net.
Check out the FP3 result for the Japanese GP:
1) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 1’29.362
2) George Russell (Mercedes), 1’29.616
3) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 1’30.229
4) Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes), 1’30.364
5) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 1’30.383
6) Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes), 1’30.600
7) Nico Hülkenberg (Audi), 1’30.658
8) Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Red Bull Ford), 1’30.910
9) Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 1’31.000
10) Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Mercedes), 1’31.082
11) Isack Hadjar (Red Bull/Red Bull Ford), 1’31.094
12) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford), 1’31.097
13) Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford), 1’31.288
14) Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari), 1’31.326
15) Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari), 1’31.558
16) Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes), 1’31.733
17) Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Mercedes), 1’31.759
18) Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes), 1’31.829
19) Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac/Ferrari), 1’32.503
20) Sergio Pérez (Cadillac/Ferrari), 1’32.540
21) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Honda), 1’33.485
22) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Honda), 1’33.529
Read more F1: Piastri escapes penalty after incident with Hulkenberg
