Lando Norris sets the pace while Japanese GP practice gets disrupted again by dramatic fire outbreak

The final practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix turned out to be a dramatic affair, not just for the lap times but also due to an unexpected repeat of an unusual hazard — grass fires. Despite efforts from the FIA to mitigate Friday’s fire incidents, FP3 was again interrupted by two separate outbreaks, creating fresh concerns ahead of qualifying.

Lando Norris, however, remained unfazed by the chaos and went on to set the fastest lap of the weekend so far with a 1:27.965s — a time that sealed McLaren’s dominance in practice. Oscar Piastri, his teammate, followed closely behind, just 0.026s adrift, reversing their positions from FP2 and setting the stage for a thrilling McLaren duel in qualifying.

The top three were rounded out by Mercedes’ George Russell, who was a little over a tenth behind Norris. Russell looked like the most significant threat to the McLaren duo, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completing the top five. Verstappen, notably, described his car as “undriveable” during parts of the session, highlighting Red Bull’s struggles on what has been a turbulent weekend at Suzuka.
Despite FIA's assurances that “the grass has been cut as short as possible, and loose, dried grass has been removed from affected areas,” the measures didn’t fully prevent the fires from reoccurring. In fact, it took only seven minutes into FP3 for flames to appear between the hairpin and the Spoon Curve — near the optional chicane not typically used in Formula 1 races.

Later, another fire at the high-speed 130R corner — reportedly triggered when Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto ran onto the grass — forced a second red flag, leaving just under seven minutes on the clock. With track safety now a serious concern, the FIA made the call not to resume the session, which denied drivers the opportunity to conduct critical practice starts.
The persistent grass fires, which have already caused six red flags over two days, are proving to be more than just a minor distraction. They have now raised genuine worries about whether Saturday’s qualifying or even Sunday’s race could be compromised if the issue is not fully resolved.

While McLaren celebrated a clean sweep of practice sessions, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc looked quietly confident, and Verstappen, despite his complaints, still ended up fifth. Further down the order, Lewis Hamilton finished just behind Verstappen, followed by Williams’ Alex Albon and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Yuki Tsunoda was ninth, narrowly behind his Red Bull colleagues, while Isack Hadjar delivered another standout showing to complete the top ten.

As teams gear up for qualifying, all eyes remain on McLaren's impressive pace—and whether the FIA’s fire-fighting measures will hold up under the spotlight.
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