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Four red flags in the second practice session cost the teams 38 minutes of driving time. The interruptions also claimed the long runs as victims. And during the fast laps between accidents and grass fires, much depended on how the drivers navigated through traffic and could complete their preparation laps.
So the picture is somewhat distorted. As a substitute for the missed race simulations in the afternoon, the long runs from the morning had to serve. The picture here is relatively clear. McLaren is setting the pace in Suzuka as well. They are followed by Mercedes and Ferrari. Red Bull continues to face major difficulties. The white-painted cars were completely out of balance.
Neither the basic setup, in which the engineers had placed great hopes, nor the setup correction in the afternoon worked. In contrast, the sister cars from Toro Rosso again showed strong early form. This is still impressive even knowing that Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson had increased their engine power for their fast laps.
The general form of the Red Bull RB21 is concerning, however. The car alternately falls from understeer into oversteer. Verstappen reported on the radio that it felt as if the car was bending. The strong sliding of the Red Bulls drove tire wear upward.
Sporting director Helmut Marko was annoyed: "Whenever the simulator celebrates, the basic setup at the track doesn't fit. We should check our procedures in the simulator." The projections from the virtual world had suggested a setup that should make the RB21 three tenths faster. The opposite was the case. Even after the vehicle setup was rebuilt during the lunch break. Verstappen summarized: "On this track you need confidence in the car. Unfortunately, I didn't have that."
Why is Toro Rosso so fast?
Toro Rosso surprised again. Isack Hadjar and returnee Liam Lawson landed in third and fifth places. Red Bull's sister car presented itself in excellent form for the third time in a row. The car has been very well balanced for all track types so far. Helmut Marko, however, puts a question mark: "They turned up the engine power more than Red Bull. That has an influence on the lap times."
