Miguel A. Herguedas

Updated Friday, April 5, 2024-09:54

  • Free 1 Classification and times

  • Fernando Alonso "Before the summer I will decide if I continue or not"

The first day of training barely allowed any conclusions to be drawn in Suzuka, due to a light rain that completely disrupted the plans. The difficult asphalt conditions, neither dry nor wet, prevented the normal development of FP2, with the majority of drivers waiting inside the cars and without setting foot on the track. During the first session,

Max Verstappen

had set the best time (1:30.056), 18 hundredths ahead of

Sergio Pérez

and 21 over

Carlos Sainz

.

Fernando Alonso

did not even ride during the afternoon session, although in the morning he was able to complete 19 laps, to finish seventh, 54 hundredths off the lead. We will have to wait until Saturday, according to the plan established by Aston Martin, to examine the AMR24, which debuts aerodynamic improvements to the floor and sidepods. The objective of the Silverstone team is to increase aerodynamic load and control tire degradation, although so far the improvements have not allowed

Lance Stroll

to shine , fifteenth classified in the morning, two seconds behind the head.

The Japanese GP, traditionally held at the beginning of October, has changed its location on the calendar for the first time. And the whims of spring have taken away the forecasts of the teams, who gave up riding to avoid risks, convinced that the rest of the weekend will be held on dry asphalt. For now, the few certainties point to the dominance of Red Bull and the progression of Ferrari.

Sargeant's accident

Ready to forget his abandonment of Australia due to a brake failure, Verstappen dominated the timesheets, although Sainz and

Charles Leclerc

showed encouraging pace in the long runs. during the last 10 minutes of FP1. Sunday's strategies point to two stops, so the performance of the hard tires seems essential.

The other focus of attention on Friday was Logan Sargeant

's ugly accident

against the barriers of the Dunlop Curve. The American, who two weeks ago could not even take the start in Albert Park, lost control at the exit of the famous S, stepped on the grass and ended up crashing violently into the barriers. The red flag left the Williams mechanics in a very bad mood, as they do not have a spare chassis in Sukuza, since Sargeant had to give his to his teammate Alex Albon.

The last protagonist of the day was

Ayumu Iwasa

, Red Bull Academy driver, who took over from

Daniel Ricciardo

at the wheel of the RB during the morning. The 22-year-old Japanese finished sixteenth, behind Stroll and with a margin of 17 hundredths over

Pierre Gasly

(Alpine).