Bottas still ahead of Hamilton in free practice 2

The Finn Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) set the fastest time of the 2nd and final free practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix, 17th round of the Formula 1 World Championship, on Friday at the Suzuka circuit (5,807 km).

Note that if the qualifications, postponed from Saturday to Sunday 10:00 (01:00 GMT) because of typhoon Hagibis, were finally canceled, it is the classification of this session that would determine the starting grid the same day at 14:10 (05h10) .

Despite a spinning half-hour after the opening of the track, Bottas, already the fastest in the morning, dominated the proceedings with a time of 1 min 27 sec 785/1000, 1/10 better as his British teammate Lewis Hamilton, leader of the drivers classification.

Next, closer to Mercedes than during free practice 1, the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) to 281/1000, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) at 356/1000, the German Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) at 591/1000 and the Thai Alexander Albon (Red Bull) at 617/1000.

Best of all, behind the three "top teams", as is often Spanish Carlos Sainz Jr (McLaren), beyond the second.

The Mexican Sergio Perez (Racing Point), the French Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) and the Briton Lando Norris (McLaren) close the top 10.

Exceptionally, the drivers and their teams have only two sessions on Friday to prepare for qualifying and the race, the free practice 3, scheduled for Saturday morning, having been canceled for safety reasons.

Sunday morning qualifying remains conditioned by the weather, with strong gusts still expected.

2nd free practice session:

Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Mercedes) 1: 27.785 (33 laps)

Lewis Hamilton (GBR / Mercedes) 1: 27.885 (34)

Max Verstappen (NED / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 28.066 (24)

Charles Leclerc (MON / Ferrari) 1: 28.141 (28)

Sebastian Vettel (GER / Ferrari) 1: 28.376 (37)

Alexander Albon (THA / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 28.402 (34)

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP / McLaren-Renault) 1: 29.051 (29)

Sergio Perez (MEX / Racing Point-Mercedes) 1: 29.299 (28)

Pierre Gasly (FRA / Toro Rosso-Honda) 1: 29.354 (34)

Lando Norris (GBR / McLaren-Renault) 1: 29.358 (35)

Kimi Raikkonen (FIN / Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1: 29.477 (29)

Daniil Kvyat (RUS / Toro Rosso-Honda) 1: 29.512 (35)

Romain Grosjean (FRA / Haas-Ferrari) 1: 29.553 (28)

Lance Stroll (CAN / Racing Point-Mercedes) 1: 29.597 (27)

Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA / Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1: 29.651 (33)

Kevin Magnussen (DEN / Haas-Ferrari) 1: 29.749 (31)

Daniel Ricciardo (AUS / Renault) 1: 29.859 (30)

Nico Hulkenberg (GER / Renault) 1: 30.334 (29)

Robert Kubica (POL / Williams-Mercedes) 1: 30.916 (35)

George Russell (GBR / Williams-Mercedes) 1: 31.071 (36)