McLaren Upsets Mercedes as Oscar Piastri Tops Friday Practice Amid Max Verstappen Stewards Inquiries at Suzuka

Oscar Piastri leads FP2 at Suzuka while Max Verstappen visits the stewards twice. Get the full Friday roundup from the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 6:29 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PlanetF1

Oscar Piastri Delivers Competitive Rebound in Friday Practice

The narrative of the 2026 season took an unexpected turn at the Suzuka Circuit as McLaren demonstrated a sudden surge in technical performance. Oscar Piastri, who has endured a difficult start to the year without completing a single race lap, managed to dislodge the Mercedes duo from their expected position at the top of the timing sheets. This result suggests that McLaren has successfully navigated the early-season battery issues that plagued them in China, positioning the "papaya" cars as genuine contenders for the front row. For Piastri, topping the second practice session serves as a vital morale boost and a signal that he has quickly found his rhythm on one of the calendar’s most demanding tracks.

Max Verstappen Facing Repeated FIA Stewards Scrutiny

While McLaren celebrated their pace, the reigning world champion found himself navigating the administrative complexities of the FIA stewards’ office on two separate occasions. Max Verstappen’s first summons followed a high-speed encounter with Lewis Hamilton, where the Red Bull driver narrowly avoided a rear-end collision with the Ferrari. Despite the severity of the near-miss, the stewards ultimately cleared Hamilton of any regulatory wrongdoing, attributing the incident to the closing speeds inherent at Suzuka. This initial tension set a combative tone for the Red Bull camp, which has struggled to match the consistency of its rivals in the opening rounds of the new regulation cycle.

Investigating Volatile Driving Standards in the Paddock

The second of Verstappen’s visits to the stewards involved a formal investigation into the driving conduct of Williams’ Franco Colapinto. The young Argentine was scrutinized for what was described as erratic movements during the second practice session, which directly impeded Verstappen’s flying lap. However, the governing body opted for a lenient approach, issuing a formal warning to Colapinto rather than a sporting penalty. These repeated interactions with race officials highlight the "big problems" Verstappen has cited regarding his car's balance, as he appears to be fighting both the hardware and the traffic in a bid to reclaim his dominant form.