Oscar Piastri has been encouraged by an early upturn in his fortunes at the Japanese Grand Prix as he finished quickest driver of the day in practice at Suzuka.
The Australian driver, who's failed to even start his two grand prix in 2026 in his home town of Melbourne and then Shanghai, desperately needs a boost in the season's third race and received it as McLaren's pace confounded everyone on Friday.
The 24-year-old lapped the 5.8km Suzuka circuit in one minute 30.133 seconds, finishing 0.092sec ahead of Kim Antonelli, winner in China, and 0.205sec clear of F1 championship leader George Russell, the season's dominant Mercedes duo who were taken aback by the constructors champions' speed.
