{"id":568891,"date":"2026-03-28T00:25:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T00:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/568891\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T00:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T00:25:14","slug":"piastri-makes-good-progress-on-day-one-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/568891\/","title":{"rendered":"Piastri makes “good progress” on Day One in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Oscar<\/p>\n

By Reese Mautone<\/p>\n

Date posted: 28 March 2026<\/p>\n

Oscar Piastri delivered an \u201cencouraging\u201d Friday in Japan, combining consistency and a session-topping FP2 lap to position himself firmly in the fight ahead of Qualifying.<\/p>\n

After being sidelined across both the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix, Piastri returned to action at Suzuka Circuit with immediate intent, vaulting to the top of the early FP1 order as he settled quickly into the rhythm of the session.<\/p>\n

As running progressed and the soft compound came into play, the McLaren driver was knocked down the timing screens by the quicker Mercedes pair and Charles Leclerc, yet he remained firmly in the fight, consistently lapping within reach of the leading trio.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His final push came late in the hour as improvement opportunities subsided, producing a lap that split the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers to secure him a place among the frontrunners.<\/p>\n

A late surge from teammate Lando Norris ultimately denied Piastri a top-three finish, with the #1 besting the #81 by just six hundredths to demote his garage-mate to fourth.<\/p>\n

The closing stages also saw Piastri swept into an impromptu three-way battle of battery deployment at the first corner, with Leclerc and Franco Colapinto enjoying themselves and leaving the Australian in their wake as he summed up the moment with a wry, \u201cWell, that didn\u2019t go well\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, it was a decent day for us,\u201d Piastri said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe felt like we made some good progress, particularly in the second Practice session, which was encouraging.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe feeling is positive, and we\u2019ve gathered some valuable data that puts us in a solid position.\u201d<\/p>\n

Operating as McLaren\u2019s sole representative in the early stages of FP2, Piastri wasted little time establishing control of the session, setting an initial benchmark on the medium compound and maintaining his advantage through an early yellow flag interruption.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His pace kept the Mercedes pairing at bay, with Leclerc the only driver to briefly insert himself into the leading group.<\/p>\n

The decisive move came at the halfway mark, as Piastri switched to the soft compound and immediately delivered, opening his qualifying simulations with two purple sectors on the way to a 1:30.133s benchmark.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The #81\u2019s lap ultimately stood as the reference for the day, securing him top spot across Friday\u2019s running and providing a rare bright point for McLaren amid ongoing issues on Norris\u2019 side of the garage.<\/p>\n

The competitive order echoed the earlier session, with his Mercedes-powered rivals filling the positions behind Piastri, while Norris recovered to fourth by the chequered flag.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know there\u2019s still work to do, and it\u2019s clear that some of our competitors, especially Mercedes, are very strong,\u201d the McLaren driver said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the focus is on our own performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope to build on the progress from today and carry that momentum forward to be even more competitive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The real test still lies ahead, with the Australian turning his focus to the third qualifying session of the year, aiming to convert his Friday pace into a strong grid position for what he hopes will finally be his first Grand Prix start of 2026.<\/p>\n

But first, the field has one final hour to dial things in, with Free Practice 3 set to get underway at 13:30 AEST.<\/p>\n

Image: McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team<\/p>\n

Japanese Grand Prix Schedule (AEST):<\/p>\n

Friday, March 27th:<\/p>\n

Free Practice 1: 13:30 \u2013 14:30<\/p>\n

Free Practice 2: 17:00 \u2013 18:00<\/p>\n

Saturday, March 28th:<\/p>\n

Free Practice 3: 13:30 \u2013 14:30<\/p>\n

Qualifying: 17:00 \u2013 18:00<\/p>\n

Sunday, March 30th:<\/p>\n

Race: 16:00 \u2013 18:00<\/p>\n

Read new Auto Action Digital HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy the new issue of Auto Action Premium HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription\u00a0here<\/a>,\u00a0or you can purchase a copy of the latest issue from one of our outlets\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>\"\"\/<\/a>
\nRecent Storiesarray (
\n 0 =>
\n WP_Term::__set_state(array(
\n ‘term_id’ => 37,
\n ‘name’ => ‘F1’,
\n ‘slug’ => ‘f1’,
\n ‘term_group’ => 0,
\n ‘term_taxonomy_id’ => 37,
\n ‘taxonomy’ => ‘category’,
\n ‘description’ => ‘An Introduction to Formula One (F1)
\nFormula One, or F1, is the highest class of single-seater auto racing, governed by the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Internationale de l\\’Automobile (FIA) and is owned by Liberty Media. The name “Formula One” refers to the set of rules or formula that all cars and drivers must comply with.
\n
\nThe F1 season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held on purpose-built circuits or public roads around the world. The results of each race are combined to determine two annual championships: one for drivers and one for constructors (teams).
\n
\nThe history of Formula One can be traced back to the pre-war Grand Prix racing, which featured open-wheel cars with supercharged engines. The first World Championship of Drivers was organised by the FIA in 1950, following the end of World War II. The first race was held at Silverstone, England, and was won by Giuseppe Farina, driving an Alfa Romeo. The first constructors\\’ championship was introduced in 1958 and was won by Vanwall.
\n
\nFormula One has seen many changes and innovations over the years, both in terms of technology and regulations. Some of the most notable developments include the introduction of rear-engined cars in the late 1950s, the use of aerodynamic wings in the late 1960s, the adoption of turbocharged engines in the late 1970s, the emergence of electronic driver aids in the late 1980s, the switch to V10 and then V8 engines in the 1990s and 2000s, and the introduction of hybrid power units in 2014.
\n
\nFormula One has also produced some of the greatest drivers and rivalries in the history of motorsport. Some of the most famous names include Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel. Some of the most intense battles for the championship have been between Fangio and Stirling Moss in the 1950s, Lauda and James Hunt in the 1970s, Senna and Prost in the late 1980s, Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen in the late 1990s, and Hamilton and Vettel in the 2010s.
\n
\nFormula One is widely regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport, attracting millions of fans and viewers worldwide. The sport is also a huge business, involving billions of dollars in revenue and expenditure. The teams compete for prize money, sponsorship deals, and media rights, while the drivers earn millions of dollars in salaries and endorsements. The sport is also influenced by politics, regulations, and controversies, such as doping scandals, espionage cases, safety issues, and environmental concerns.
\n
\nThe following is a list of all F1 World Drivers Champions by year, from 1950 to 2020:
\n1950-1959
\n1950: Giuseppe Farina (Italy) – Alfa Romeo 158, Alfa Romeo
\n
\n1951: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Alfa Romeo 159, Alfa Romeo
\n
\n1952: Alberto Ascari (Italy) – Ferrari 500, Ferrari
\n
\n1953: Alberto Ascari (Italy) – Ferrari 500, Ferrari
\n
\n1954: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Maserati 250F, Maserati \/ Mercedes-Benz W196, Mercedes-Benz
\n
\n1955: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Mercedes-Benz W196, Mercedes-Benz
\n
\n1956: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Ferrari D50, Ferrari
\n
\n1957: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Maserati 250F, Maserati
\n
\n1958: Mike Hawthorn (United Kingdom) – Ferrari 246, Ferrari
\n
\n1959: Jack Brabham (Australia) – Cooper T51, Cooper-Climax
\n1960-1969
\n1960: Jack Brabham (Australia) – Cooper T53, Cooper-Climax
\n
\n1961: Phil Hill (United States) – Ferrari 156, Ferrari
\n
\n1962: Graham Hill (United Kingdom) – BRM P57, BRM
\n
\n1963: Jim Clark (United Kingdom) – Lotus 25, Lotus-Climax
\n
\n1964: John Surtees (United Kingdom) – Ferrari 158, Ferrari
\n
\n1965: Jim Clark (United Kingdom) – Lotus 33, Lotus-Climax
\n
\n1966: Jack Brabham (Australia) – Brabham BT19, Brabham-Repco
\n
\n1967: Denny Hulme (New Zealand) – Brabham BT20, Brabham-Repco
\n
\n1968: Graham Hill (United Kingdom) – Lotus 49, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1969: Jackie Stewart (United Kingdom) – Matra MS80, Matra-Ford
\n1970-1979
\n1970: Jochen Rindt (Austria) – Lotus 72, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1971: Jackie Stewart (United Kingdom) – Tyrrell 003, Tyrrell-Ford
\n
\n1972: Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) – Lotus 72D, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1973: Jackie Stewart (United Kingdom) – Tyrrell 006, Tyrrell-Ford
\n
\n1974: Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) – McLaren M23, McLaren-Ford
\n
\n1975: Niki Lauda (Austria) – Ferrari 312T, Ferrari
\n
\n1976: James Hunt (United Kingdom) – McLaren M23, McLaren-Ford
\n
\n1977: Niki Lauda (Austria) – Ferrari 312T2, Ferrari
\n
\n1978: Mario Andretti (United States) – Lotus 79, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1979: Jody Scheckter (South Africa) – Ferrari 312T4, Ferrari
\n1980-1989
\n1980: Alan Jones (Australia) – Williams FW07B, Williams-Ford
\n
\n1981: Nelson Piquet (Brazil) – Brabham BT49C, Brabham-Ford
\n
\n1982: Keke Rosberg (Finland) – Williams FW08, Williams-Ford
\n
\n1983: Nelson Piquet (Brazil) – Brabham BT52, Brabham-BMW
\n
\n1984: Niki Lauda (Austria) – McLaren MP4\/2, McLaren-TAG
\n
\n1985: Alain Prost (France) – McLaren MP4\/2B, McLaren-TAG
\n
\n1986: Alain Prost (France) – McLaren MP4\/2C, McLaren-TAG
\n
\n1987: Nelson Piquet (Brazil) – Williams FW11B, Williams-Honda
\n
\n1988: Ayrton Senna (Brazil) – McLaren MP4\/4, McLaren-Honda
\n
\n1989: Alain Prost (France) – McLaren MP4\/5, McLaren-Honda
\n1990-1999
\n1990: Ayrton Senna (Brazil) – McLaren MP4\/5B, McLaren-Honda
\n
\n1991: Ayrton Senna (Brazil) – McLaren MP4\/6, McLaren-Honda
\n
\n1992: Nigel Mansell (United Kingdom) – Williams FW14B, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1993: Alain Prost (France) – Williams FW15C, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1994: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Benetton B194, Benetton-Ford
\n
\n1995: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Benetton B195, Benetton-Renault
\n
\n1996: Damon Hill (United Kingdom) – Williams FW18, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1997: Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) – Williams FW19, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1998: Mika H\u00e4kkinen (Finland) – McLaren MP4\/13, McLaren-Mercedes
\n
\n1999: Mika H\u00e4kkinen (Finland) – McLaren MP4\/14, McLaren-Mercedes
\n2000-2009
\n2000: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F1-2000, Ferrari
\n
\n2001: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2001, Ferrari
\n
\n2002: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2002, Ferrari
\n
\n2003: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2003-GA, Ferrari
\n
\n2004: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2004, Ferrari
\n
\n2005: Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Renault R25, Renault
\n
\n2006: Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Renault R26, Renault
\n
\n2007: Kimi R\u00e4ikk\u00f6nen (Finland) – Ferrari F2007, Ferrari
\n
\n2008: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – McLaren MP4-23, McLaren-Mercedes
\n
\n2009: Jenson Button (United Kingdom) – Brawn BGP 001, Brawn-Mercedes
\n2010-2020
\n2010: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB6, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2011: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB7, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2012: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB8, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2013: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB9, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2014: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, Mercedes
\n
\n2015: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid, Mercedes
\n
\n2016: Nico Rosberg (Germany) – Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid, Mercedes
\n
\n2017: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W08 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n
\n2018: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W09 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n
\n2019: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W10 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n
\n2020: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W11 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n2021-
\n2021: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB16B, Honda
\n
\n2022: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB18, Red Bull Power Trains Honda
\n
\n2023: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB19, Red Bull Power Trains Honda
\n
\n2024: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB20, Red Bull Power Trains Honda’,
\n ‘parent’ => 660,
\n ‘count’ => 3160,
\n ‘filter’ => ‘raw’,
\n ‘cat_ID’ => 37,
\n ‘category_count’ => 3160,
\n ‘category_description’ => ‘An Introduction to Formula One (F1)
\nFormula One, or F1, is the highest class of single-seater auto racing, governed by the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Internationale de l\\’Automobile (FIA) and is owned by Liberty Media. The name “Formula One” refers to the set of rules or formula that all cars and drivers must comply with.
\n
\nThe F1 season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held on purpose-built circuits or public roads around the world. The results of each race are combined to determine two annual championships: one for drivers and one for constructors (teams).
\n
\nThe history of Formula One can be traced back to the pre-war Grand Prix racing, which featured open-wheel cars with supercharged engines. The first World Championship of Drivers was organised by the FIA in 1950, following the end of World War II. The first race was held at Silverstone, England, and was won by Giuseppe Farina, driving an Alfa Romeo. The first constructors\\’ championship was introduced in 1958 and was won by Vanwall.
\n
\nFormula One has seen many changes and innovations over the years, both in terms of technology and regulations. Some of the most notable developments include the introduction of rear-engined cars in the late 1950s, the use of aerodynamic wings in the late 1960s, the adoption of turbocharged engines in the late 1970s, the emergence of electronic driver aids in the late 1980s, the switch to V10 and then V8 engines in the 1990s and 2000s, and the introduction of hybrid power units in 2014.
\n
\nFormula One has also produced some of the greatest drivers and rivalries in the history of motorsport. Some of the most famous names include Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel. Some of the most intense battles for the championship have been between Fangio and Stirling Moss in the 1950s, Lauda and James Hunt in the 1970s, Senna and Prost in the late 1980s, Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen in the late 1990s, and Hamilton and Vettel in the 2010s.
\n
\nFormula One is widely regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport, attracting millions of fans and viewers worldwide. The sport is also a huge business, involving billions of dollars in revenue and expenditure. The teams compete for prize money, sponsorship deals, and media rights, while the drivers earn millions of dollars in salaries and endorsements. The sport is also influenced by politics, regulations, and controversies, such as doping scandals, espionage cases, safety issues, and environmental concerns.
\n
\nThe following is a list of all F1 World Drivers Champions by year, from 1950 to 2020:
\n1950-1959
\n1950: Giuseppe Farina (Italy) – Alfa Romeo 158, Alfa Romeo
\n
\n1951: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Alfa Romeo 159, Alfa Romeo
\n
\n1952: Alberto Ascari (Italy) – Ferrari 500, Ferrari
\n
\n1953: Alberto Ascari (Italy) – Ferrari 500, Ferrari
\n
\n1954: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Maserati 250F, Maserati \/ Mercedes-Benz W196, Mercedes-Benz
\n
\n1955: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Mercedes-Benz W196, Mercedes-Benz
\n
\n1956: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Ferrari D50, Ferrari
\n
\n1957: Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) – Maserati 250F, Maserati
\n
\n1958: Mike Hawthorn (United Kingdom) – Ferrari 246, Ferrari
\n
\n1959: Jack Brabham (Australia) – Cooper T51, Cooper-Climax
\n1960-1969
\n1960: Jack Brabham (Australia) – Cooper T53, Cooper-Climax
\n
\n1961: Phil Hill (United States) – Ferrari 156, Ferrari
\n
\n1962: Graham Hill (United Kingdom) – BRM P57, BRM
\n
\n1963: Jim Clark (United Kingdom) – Lotus 25, Lotus-Climax
\n
\n1964: John Surtees (United Kingdom) – Ferrari 158, Ferrari
\n
\n1965: Jim Clark (United Kingdom) – Lotus 33, Lotus-Climax
\n
\n1966: Jack Brabham (Australia) – Brabham BT19, Brabham-Repco
\n
\n1967: Denny Hulme (New Zealand) – Brabham BT20, Brabham-Repco
\n
\n1968: Graham Hill (United Kingdom) – Lotus 49, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1969: Jackie Stewart (United Kingdom) – Matra MS80, Matra-Ford
\n1970-1979
\n1970: Jochen Rindt (Austria) – Lotus 72, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1971: Jackie Stewart (United Kingdom) – Tyrrell 003, Tyrrell-Ford
\n
\n1972: Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) – Lotus 72D, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1973: Jackie Stewart (United Kingdom) – Tyrrell 006, Tyrrell-Ford
\n
\n1974: Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) – McLaren M23, McLaren-Ford
\n
\n1975: Niki Lauda (Austria) – Ferrari 312T, Ferrari
\n
\n1976: James Hunt (United Kingdom) – McLaren M23, McLaren-Ford
\n
\n1977: Niki Lauda (Austria) – Ferrari 312T2, Ferrari
\n
\n1978: Mario Andretti (United States) – Lotus 79, Lotus-Ford
\n
\n1979: Jody Scheckter (South Africa) – Ferrari 312T4, Ferrari
\n1980-1989
\n1980: Alan Jones (Australia) – Williams FW07B, Williams-Ford
\n
\n1981: Nelson Piquet (Brazil) – Brabham BT49C, Brabham-Ford
\n
\n1982: Keke Rosberg (Finland) – Williams FW08, Williams-Ford
\n
\n1983: Nelson Piquet (Brazil) – Brabham BT52, Brabham-BMW
\n
\n1984: Niki Lauda (Austria) – McLaren MP4\/2, McLaren-TAG
\n
\n1985: Alain Prost (France) – McLaren MP4\/2B, McLaren-TAG
\n
\n1986: Alain Prost (France) – McLaren MP4\/2C, McLaren-TAG
\n
\n1987: Nelson Piquet (Brazil) – Williams FW11B, Williams-Honda
\n
\n1988: Ayrton Senna (Brazil) – McLaren MP4\/4, McLaren-Honda
\n
\n1989: Alain Prost (France) – McLaren MP4\/5, McLaren-Honda
\n1990-1999
\n1990: Ayrton Senna (Brazil) – McLaren MP4\/5B, McLaren-Honda
\n
\n1991: Ayrton Senna (Brazil) – McLaren MP4\/6, McLaren-Honda
\n
\n1992: Nigel Mansell (United Kingdom) – Williams FW14B, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1993: Alain Prost (France) – Williams FW15C, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1994: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Benetton B194, Benetton-Ford
\n
\n1995: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Benetton B195, Benetton-Renault
\n
\n1996: Damon Hill (United Kingdom) – Williams FW18, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1997: Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) – Williams FW19, Williams-Renault
\n
\n1998: Mika H\u00e4kkinen (Finland) – McLaren MP4\/13, McLaren-Mercedes
\n
\n1999: Mika H\u00e4kkinen (Finland) – McLaren MP4\/14, McLaren-Mercedes
\n2000-2009
\n2000: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F1-2000, Ferrari
\n
\n2001: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2001, Ferrari
\n
\n2002: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2002, Ferrari
\n
\n2003: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2003-GA, Ferrari
\n
\n2004: Michael Schumacher (Germany) – Ferrari F2004, Ferrari
\n
\n2005: Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Renault R25, Renault
\n
\n2006: Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Renault R26, Renault
\n
\n2007: Kimi R\u00e4ikk\u00f6nen (Finland) – Ferrari F2007, Ferrari
\n
\n2008: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – McLaren MP4-23, McLaren-Mercedes
\n
\n2009: Jenson Button (United Kingdom) – Brawn BGP 001, Brawn-Mercedes
\n2010-2020
\n2010: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB6, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2011: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB7, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2012: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB8, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2013: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) – Red Bull RB9, Red Bull-Renault
\n
\n2014: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, Mercedes
\n
\n2015: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid, Mercedes
\n
\n2016: Nico Rosberg (Germany) – Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid, Mercedes
\n
\n2017: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W08 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n
\n2018: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W09 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n
\n2019: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W10 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n
\n2020: Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – Mercedes F1 W11 EQ Power+, Mercedes
\n2021-
\n2021: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB16B, Honda
\n
\n2022: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB18, Red Bull Power Trains Honda
\n
\n2023: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB19, Red Bull Power Trains Honda
\n
\n2024: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) \u2013 Red Bull RB20, Red Bull Power Trains Honda’,
\n ‘cat_name’ => ‘F1’,
\n ‘category_nicename’ => ‘f1’,
\n ‘category_parent’ => 660,
\n )),
\n 1 =>
\n WP_Term::__set_state(array(
\n ‘term_id’ => 11,
\n ‘name’ => ‘Latest News’,
\n ‘slug’ => ‘latest-news’,
\n ‘term_group’ => 0,
\n ‘term_taxonomy_id’ => 11,
\n ‘taxonomy’ => ‘category’,
\n ‘description’ => ”,
\n ‘parent’ => 0,
\n ‘count’ => 17841,
\n ‘filter’ => ‘raw’,
\n ‘cat_ID’ => 11,
\n ‘category_count’ => 17841,
\n ‘category_description’ => ”,
\n ‘cat_name’ => ‘Latest News’,
\n ‘category_nicename’ => ‘latest-news’,
\n ‘category_parent’ => 0,
\n )),
\n 2 =>
\n WP_Term::__set_state(array(
\n ‘term_id’ => 2029,
\n ‘name’ => ‘ZZZ-Email’,
\n ‘slug’ => ’email’,
\n ‘term_group’ => 0,
\n ‘term_taxonomy_id’ => 2029,
\n ‘taxonomy’ => ‘category’,
\n ‘description’ => ”,
\n ‘parent’ => 2031,
\n ‘count’ => 8402,
\n ‘filter’ => ‘raw’,
\n ‘cat_ID’ => 2029,
\n ‘category_count’ => 8402,
\n ‘category_description’ => ”,
\n ‘cat_name’ => ‘ZZZ-Email’,
\n ‘category_nicename’ => ’email’,
\n ‘category_parent’ => 2031,
\n )),
\n 3 =>
\n WP_Term::__set_state(array(
\n ‘term_id’ => 2031,
\n ‘name’ => ‘ZZZ-RSSFeeds’,
\n ‘slug’ => ‘zzz-rssfeeds’,
\n ‘term_group’ => 0,
\n ‘term_taxonomy_id’ => 2031,
\n ‘taxonomy’ => ‘category’,
\n ‘description’ => ”,
\n ‘parent’ => 0,
\n ‘count’ => 7760,
\n ‘filter’ => ‘raw’,
\n ‘cat_ID’ => 2031,
\n ‘category_count’ => 7760,
\n ‘category_description’ => ”,
\n ‘cat_name’ => ‘ZZZ-RSSFeeds’,
\n ‘category_nicename’ => ‘zzz-rssfeeds’,
\n ‘category_parent’ => 0,
\n )),
\n)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Reese Mautone Date posted: 28 March 2026 Oscar Piastri delivered an \u201cencouraging\u201d Friday in Japan, combining consistency…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":568892,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[573],"tags":[279720,64,63,817,813,816,181059,279721,16406,913,2333,85,26300],"class_list":{"0":"post-568891","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-formula-1","8":"tag-2026-fia-formula-1-world-championship","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-f1","12":"tag-formula-1","13":"tag-formula1","14":"tag-fp1","15":"tag-fp2","16":"tag-japanese-grand-prix","17":"tag-mclaren","18":"tag-oscar-piastri","19":"tag-sports","20":"tag-suzuka-circuit"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=568891"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568891\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/568892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=568891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=568891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=568891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}