F1 returns to Japan next as Suzuka hosts the Japanese Grand Prix and round three of the 2025 F1 season.
Oscar Piastri won the last race in China, as he looks to take the title fight to McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who has an eight-point lead to Max Verstappen in the world championship.
Ferrari will be looking to bounce back after both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the race in China due to two technical infringements.
Yet the biggest story heading into the weekend is home hero Yuki Tsunoda making his debut for Red Bull, after Christian Horner decided to drop Liam Lawson to the junior team following just two races. How will Tsunoda fare in his place?
Follow latest updates from the Japanese Grand Prix with The Independent
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F1 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- F1 returns this weekend with round three of the 2025 season in Japan
- Practice 1 starts at 3:30am (BST) on Friday; FP2 is at 7am
- Max Verstappen insists it was 'not a mistake' to like a post criticising Red Bull dropping Liam Lawson
- EXCLUSIVE: Yuki Tsunoda on F1 change which kept Red Bull dream alive
- Lewis Hamilton dismissed claims he has 'lost faith' in Ferrari as 'complete nonsense'
F1 driver standings after two races:
17:33
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Kieran Jackson
1. Lando Norris – 44 points
2. Max Verstappen – 36 points
3. George Russell – 35 points
4. Oscar Piastri – 34 points
5. Kimi Antonelli – 22 points
6. Alex Albon – 16 points
7. Esteban Ocon – 10 points
8. Lance Stroll – 10 points
9. Lewis Hamilton – 9 points
10. Charles Leclerc – 8 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg – 6 points
12. Ollie Bearman – 4 points
13. Yuki Tsunoda – 3 points
14. Carlos Sainz – 1 point
15. Isack Hadjar – 0 points
16. Pierre Gasly – 0 points
17. Liam Lawson – 0 points
18. Jack Doohan – 0 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points
20. Fernando Alonso – 0 points
What are the timings in Suzuka?
17:30
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Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 4 April
- Free practice 1: 3:30am
- Free practice 2: 7am
Saturday 5 April
- Free practice 3: 3:30am
- Qualifying: 7am
Sunday 6 April
- Race: 6am
Max Verstappen stands by reaction to Liam Lawson’s Red Bull F1 axe: ‘I liked the comment’
17:06
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Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen has admitted his “like” of a social media post criticising Red Bull’s decision to drop Liam Lawson was “not a mistake”, ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Lawson was dropped after a torrid first two races of the season in Australia and China, with Yuki Tsunoda picked to replace him. Lawson drops back down to the junior team, Racing Bulls, while Tsunoda makes his Red Bull debut at his home race in Suzuka this weekend.
Yet Verstappen raised eyebrows last week when he liked an Instagram post by ex-F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, which stated Red Bull’s decision to drop Lawson was “closer to bullying or a panic move.”
Verstappen, who is eyeing a fifth straight world championship this year, refused to elaborate further on his opinion on the early-season driver swap – other than to confirm that his Instagram like was “not a mistake.”
Full story below:
EXCLUSIVE: Yuki Tsunoda on F1 change which kept Red Bull dream alive
16:58
,
Kieran Jackson
It was the straw which broke the camel’s back for Yuki Tsunoda in Formula One: a final unleashing of road rage, with sparks flying on the asphalt and over the airwaves.
Disgruntled over a late-race position swap at last year’s season-opener in Bahrain, Tsunoda was eager to vent his exasperation after the race concluded. As cars trundled aimlessly back to the pits, Tsunoda divebombed his teammate Daniel Ricciardo before swerving erratically – and dangerously – towards the second RB car. “Yeah thanks guys,” Tsunoda ranted, sarcastically, over team radio. “I appreciate it.”
Ricciardo, generally not one to lose his cool, momentarily did: “What the f*** is wrong? I’ll save it... f***ing helmet.”
It is the instance of immaturity Tsunoda himself brings up, at the end of a 15-minute conversation with The Independent, which flicked a switch in his mind: the fiery blow-ups could not continue.
Lewis Hamilton dismissed claims he has 'lost faith' in Ferrari as 'complete nonsense'
16:53
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Kieran Jackson
“I saw something asking whether I was losing faith in the team which is complete rubbish,” Hamilton said in Japan.
“I have absolute 100 per cent faith in this team.”
Full quotes below:
F1 Japanese Grand Prix!
16:47
,
Kieran Jackson
F1 returns to Japan next as Suzuka hosts the Japanese Grand Prix and round three of the 2025 F1 season.
Oscar Piastri won the last race in China, as he looks to take the title fight to McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who has an eight-point lead to Max Verstappen in the world championship.
Ferrari will be looking to bounce back after both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the race in China due to two technical infringements.
Yet the biggest story heading into the weekend is home hero Yuki Tsunoda making his debut for Red Bull, after Christian Horner decided to drop Liam Lawson to the junior team following just two races. How will Tsunoda fare in his place?