Lewis Hamilton admitted his Mercedes felt unsettled at Suzuka, battling over‑steer throughout Friday’s second practice. He finished 0.8 seconds behind session‑leader Oscar Piastri, leaving him “without confidence” but spotting a “north star” for Saturday’s qualifying. Hamilton said the car’s setup echoes last year’s challenges and that overnight work could bring a more stable rear‑end.

McLaren surprised rivals, posting the fastest time in practice two and edging Mercedes by two‑tenths. George Russell, who leads the Drivers’ Championship, trailed Piastri but praised the British team’s speed, while teammate Lando Norris lost twenty minutes to a hydraulic leak, limiting him to a fourth‑place best lap. Norris described the day as “on the back foot” and vowed to regroup before qualifying.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen endured a disappointing session, qualifying tenth and trailing the field by 1.4 seconds despite new side‑pods, floor and engine cover. He lamented a lack of balance and grip, noting the car swung from “no good” in FP1 to “still not right” in FP2. Verstappen concluded he does not expect miracles overnight, emphasizing the need to pinpoint the underlying issues.