Japanese F1 Grand Prix practice LIVE: Up-to-the-minute coverage as Red Bull's brutal driver change is put to the test

Japanese F1 Grand Prix practice LIVE: Up-to-the-minute coverage as Red Bull’s brutal driver change is put to the test

Published on: April 4, 2025

By SHAYNE BUGDEN FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest leaderboard standings and lap-by-lap updates in the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.

News about the track

Suzuka now has five new gravel traps, and the first sector has been resurfaced.

And in some good news for the drivers, there’s a strong headwind at the moment as they head towards turn one, which will help with their downforce as they take the famous bend.

Pierre Gasly’s warning for Yuki Tsunoda

The Frenchman, who drove for Red Bull in 2019, has spoken to Tsunoda since his promotion and said ‘he’s got the experience, he’s got the speed’ to make a fist of driving for Christian Horner’s team – but he’s also cautious about the Japanese star’s chances.

‘Does [his talent] mean he’s going to be successful in Red Bull Racing? No,’ Gasly said.

‘It’s slightly more complicated than that … in Formula One these days, you’ve got many strong drivers on the grid, so it’s not all down to your speed.’

Those remarks could be alluding to Tsunoda’s mental strength, which was called into question when he first broke into F1 and became known for his wild outbursts on team radio, but has improved as he’s become more experienced.

SUZUKA, JAPAN - APRIL 4: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing greets fans in the paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka Circuit on April 4, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images)

Jacques Villeneuve summarises Liam Lawson’s form with one word

The 1997 world champion just told Sky’s coverage that while Lawson (pictured below with Helmut Marko) looked confident behind the wheel last year, he ‘collapsed’ in 2025 as he had a horror run of results in Australia and China.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko speak in the paddock during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 16, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton speaks out about Ferrari’s nightmare start to the season

Yes, he won the sprint race in China after a poor showing for the Prancing Horse in qualifying and the race in Melbourne, but that first victory was followed by disqualifications for the Briton and teammate Charles Leclerc, giving rise to speculation the seven-time world champ is already frustrated with his new team.

Christian Horner’s ‘cruel to be kind’ take on one of F1’s most brutal moves

The Red Bull boss admitted sacking Liam Lawson after just two races for the team was ‘horrible’ for the New Zealander – and revealed what he told the 23-year-old after the axe fell.

Predicted track conditions

Good news – the weather forecast at Suzuka is sunny, with a top temperature of 14C – which makes for a small change from the blistering 37C conditions the drivers faced on the second day of the year’s first GP in Melbourne.

Hello and welcome

Thanks for joining Mail Sport’s live coverage of the first and second practices at Suzuka, where Red Bull’s newly promoted Yuki Tsunoda will share the track with the man whose seat he took, Liam Lawson.

We’ll bring you the latest lap times, updates and incidents as the third grand prix event of the 2025 season gets underway.