Bottas top again as Ferrari late run fails: Japanese GP FP2 Results

Valtteri Bottas secured a lockout of Friday's practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix, once again leading Lewis Hamilton in an all-Mercedes one-two finish.

Bottas is now effectively on provisional pole position for the race, with the FIA having confirmed that the starting grid will be formed from the FP2 result if Sunday's rearranged qualifying cannot be held.

Saturday's action has been cancelled amid safety concerns as Typhoon Hagibis approaches Japan.

Max Verstappen impressively split the Mercedes and the Ferrari cars, with CHarles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel unable to improve their lap times sufficiently when attempting quick laps right at the end of the session.

Although track conditions ought to have played into their favour, the mass of traffic on the circuit, as others finished off long-runs, hampered them.

Carlos Sainz secured a pair of seventh-place spots, and a further boost for McLaren came with rivals Renault languishing way down the timesheets, having brought a new front wing to Suzuka.

Japanese GP FP2 results

1. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 1:27.785
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:27.885
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:28.066
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:28.141
5. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:28.376
6. Alexander Albon (Red Bull) 1:28.402
7. Carlos Sainz (McLaren) 1:29.051
8. Sergio Perez (Racing Point) 1:29.299
9. Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) 1:29.354
10. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1:29.358
11. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) 1:29.477
12. Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) 1:29.512
13. Romain Grosjean (Haas) 1:29.553
14. Lance Stroll (Racing Point) 1:29.597
15. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) 1:29.651
16. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1:29.749
17. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) 1:29.859
18. Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) 1:30.334
19. Robert Kubica (Williams) 1:30.916
20. George Russell (Williams) 1:31.071

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