The 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix weekend began with an interesting Free Practice 1 session at Suzuka. New Zealand’s Liam Lawson showed a strong, clean performance despite being in a new car and using the session to adjust to the Racing Bulls car.
Right out of the gate, reigning champion Max Verstappen laid the benchmark with a 1:29.690, while Lawson took his time easing into the session, gradually warming up his tyres and getting a feel for the RB.
Lawson’s first flying lap was 2.454 seconds off Verstappen’s pace—similar to his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who was a further four-tenths behind. But as the session progressed, the Kiwi got down to business.
While Tsunoda made an early leap up to 7th with a strong push lap, Lawson methodically chipped away at his time. On his second flyer, he climbed to 13th, 1.373 seconds behind Verstappen—an impressive feat considering he was running on the slower hard compound tyres compared to Tsunoda’s softs.
As the session unfolded, George Russell surged to the top with a 1:29.176 on mediums, with Tsunoda responding by going 6th fastest. Red Bull appeared to push the Japanese driver to his limits, maximizing his track time with a 20-minute opening stint before visiting the pits.
Then came the real gains. Russell improved to a 1:28.712, but Tsunoda kept the pressure on, slotting into P2 with a 1:29.172, just a tenth off Verstappen. Meanwhile, Lawson switched to softs and showcased his pace—leaping up to 7th, just 0.824 seconds off RRussell’sbest and only 0.364 behind Tsunoda.
What stood out in Lawson’s session wasn’t just his lap times but his consistency and control. While several drivers wrestled with the limits of Suzuka, running wide and making mistakes, the Kiwi kept it clean and composed—precisely what a team wants from a young driver looking to prove himself.
In the final shake-up, Lando Norris went fastest with a 1:28.549, followed by Russell, Leclerc, and Hamilton. Verstappen ended FP1 in 5th, Tsunoda 6th, and Lawson ultimately 13th with a 0.987s gap to the front—an encouraging result given his session’s focus on adapting to the new car and testing out different tyre compounds.
With Free Practice 2 kicking off later tonight at 7 PM, all eyes will be on Lawson to see if he can build on this promising start. If FP1 was anything to go by, he’s quietly making his mark and rebuilding confidence—precisely what he needs to keep doing.
Header Image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
