George Russell set the pace in the first practice session of the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, delivering the fastest lap in a strong start for Mercedes, Idman.Biz reports.
The British driver posted a time of 1:31.666 to lead the session, finishing just ahead of his team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was only 0.026 seconds behind. Lando Norris placed third for McLaren, 0.132 seconds off the pace.
McLaren also saw a solid performance from Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth, while Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured fifth and sixth respectively.
Defending world champion Max Verstappen ended the session in seventh, with a noticeable gap to the leading time, as Red Bull appeared to lack early pace.
Further down the order, drivers such as Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz Jr. completed the top ten in a tightly contested midfield.
The opening practice session offered an early indication of competitive balance ahead of qualifying, with Mercedes emerging as the team to beat in Suzuka.
