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The final free practice session, and the 2022 F1 Japanese GP's only dry session, has concluded as the teams gear up for qualifying. Max Verstappen is at the top of the standings with a three-tenths buffer over the Ferrari drivers, while Fernando Alonso put together another giant killing lap quicker than the Mercedes drivers.
The McLarens and Aston Martins were there and thereabouts, with Alex Albon producing another impressive lap that propped him up to P12. So, with only 60 mins of running in representative conditions, what did we learn? Let's find out!
2022 F1 Japanese GP FP3: Key Learnings
#1 Max Verstappen in a league of his own at the F1 Japanese GP
Max Verstappen stepped out on the track at the start of the session and put together a lap time that was more than a second quicker than even his teammate. The Red Bull that ran most of the FP2 on worn inters and looked a handful on the track seemed more in control here.
What's even more striking is the straight-line speed numbers for the car as both drivers were the clear benchmark for the rest of the grid. On a single lap, low fuel run, Max Verstappen held an advantage of around three-tenths of a second to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, and the car was pretty good in the long runs as well. Overall, the signs are ominous as the Dutch driver appears to be a step above the rest of the field.
#2 Mercedes take a step back from the wet weather form of Friday
If Friday's form is taken into account, Mercedes seemed to be the benchmark for the 2022 F1 Japanese GP. As alluded to by the team itself after the session, the conditions were not indicative for the rest of the weekend.
They were, however, indicative today and Mercedes appears to be struggling with straight-line efficiency as the car is losing more than 10 kph on the straights to Red Bull. The German team could still have an ace up the sleeve in terms of long-run pace, but in terms of qualifying for the 2022 F1 Japanese GP, Mercedes might have to settle to being the third-fastest team on the grid.
#3 Tire management will be key for the F1 Japanese GP
Charles Leclerc lost almost half a second on his second push lap on the soft tires in just the first sector. While the soft tires seem like an asset for qualifying, they don't last longer than a lap or two in terms of peak performance. The track is notorious for having very high grip and an abrasive surface that can overwork the tires.
Teams like Ferrari, who have been susceptible to poor tire life in the past, might need to be extra careful with the setup that is employed for the F1 Japanese GP.
#4 Aston Martin is closer to McLaren and Alpine
Unlike something that has been a trend in qualifying in the last few races, Aston Martin is much closer to McLaren and Alpine in terms of one-lap pace. One of the reasons behind it could be the intense first sector where the tires are stressed very hard. The Senna esses and the two Degners helped in getting tire temperatures up and for Aston Martin, a team that has struggled with that aspect all year, this surely helps.
Further track evolution and car understanding could bring Aston Martin even closer to the two midfield frontrunners, but what it also does is give Aston Martin, a car that is kinder on its tires, an opportunity to nab a few more points at the 2022 F1 Japanese GP.
#5 Williams is surprisingly good while Haas and Alfa Romeo struggle
Haas continued to struggle during the free practice session as both Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen found themselves in 16th and 15th respectively. Guanyu Zhou did not have a great session either as the low-fuel run only yielded a lap time that was good enough for P18.
What was somewhat surprising was Williams showing an impressive one-lap pace with Alex Albon. The track for the F1 Japanese GP does have two long straights but it is surely surprising to see Albon navigate his way through the rest of the downforce track characteristics and still post a time that was good enough for P12. Albon has done a few giant killing drives this season when he has ended up scoring points and will be worth keeping an eye on this weekend as he might emulate the same here.
