SUZUKA: World champion Max Verstappen topped the timesheets for Red Bull in the first free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday as Logan Sargeant deepened the woes of the Williams team by slamming his car into a trackside tyre wall.

Verstappen, looking to get back to winning ways this weekend after his first retirement since 2022 in Australia two weeks ago, clocked one minute, 30.056 seconds when the session resumed after a red-flag stoppage for Sargeant’s shunt.

Sergio Perez was second fastest, 0.181 seconds behind his Red Bull team mate, with Carlos Sainz, the winner last time out in Melbourne, 0.213 off the pace in third place for Ferrari.

Sargeant was unable to race in Melbourne two weeks ago after his more experienced team mate Alex Albon crashed his car in practice.

Williams patched up the car but arrived in Japan with no spare chassis so Sargeant could miss out again if the team mechanics are unable to fix it in time for Sunday’s race.

“Sorry,” the American said on the team radio after spinning off at a corner, before adding: “I’m okay.” Verstappen was unable to get out of the garage for the first 15 minutes as his mechanics fixed a broken part on his car but quickly showed his pace on hard tyres in dry conditions once he did.

Lewis Hamilton knocked him off top spot with what turned out to be his best time (1:30.543) in his Mercedes just before the red flag.

Max Verstappen retires from Australian Grand Prix

Ferrari showed some of the pace that took them to a 1-2 in Melbourne but Sainz was unable to match the Red Bulls while his team mate Charles Leclerc was sixth fastest, half a second off the pace, behind the Mercedes of George Russell and Hamilton.

The cars return to the track for the second free practice later on Friday.