F1 Results Today: Mercedes on top as Audi stun rivals at Japanese Grand Prix

Mercedes sent out a not-so-subtle reminder to their F1 rivals that they, not McLaren or Ferrari, remain the team to beat at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Silver Arrows had been in a cluster of teams in the same pace range in FP1 and FP2, but came out on Saturday with nearly a second a lap more pace to put to bed any ideas that they might be losing their edge.

Times at the very top of the boards were a touch faster than in FP2 on Friday afternoon at Suzuka, with teams making sure they optimise their single-lap pace for qualifying as well as their long-run speed.

One team who struggled to do that was McLaren – specifically on Lando Norris' car, which didn't come out of the garage until there were 25 minutes left in the session due to a battery issue. That comes off the back of an apparent hydraulic leak keeping the reigning champion from starting FP2 on time the previous day...and of course, after the team's disastrous double-DNS last time out in Shanghai.

Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, was the second fastest non-Mercedes car in the session, a full second behind Kimi Antonelli but barely a tenth off the back of the lead Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Audi provided something of a surprise, mixing it around the Ferraris and McLarens with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto sandwiching eighth placed Max Verstappen, who had another miserable session.

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Japanese Grand Prix FP3 times

Japanese Grand Prix FP2 times

Japanese Grand Prix FP1 times

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The Japanese Grand Prix weekend continues on Saturday at Suzuka with qualifying on Saturday, March 28th at 14:00 (local time) and 06:00 (GMT). To read the complete breakdown of practice times and how to watch in select locations click here.

READ MORE: FIA storm after Mercedes F1 disqualification verdict

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Chris Deeley - Editor

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