India, March 27 -- Mercedes carried their dominance into Suzuka, finishing the F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2026 Free Practise 1 session at the top of the timesheets. George Russell led the way with a best lap of 1:31.666 on soft tyres, ahead of teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli by just 0.026 seconds.

McLaren showed encouraging pace, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri slotting in just behind the Mercedes pair. Meanwhile, Ferrari were also in the mix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton closely matching the best lap while challenging the Silver Arrows. 

Our top three in first practice ��

1️⃣ Russell2️⃣ Antonelli3️⃣ Norris #F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/UFQDr2Q5Uu

- Formula 1 (@F1) ...