SUZUKA, Japan -- With Typhoon Hagibis disrupting Formula One's usual race weekend schedule, Friday's second practice at Suzuka could prove to be the most significant practice session of the season. With qualifying cancelled on Saturday -- and still under threat in its rescheduled time on Sunday morning -- the teams were told ahead of FP2 that the classification for the second practice session would determine the grid if the storm prevents qualifying being run altogether.
Valtteri Bottas rose to the challenge on Friday afternoon to finish the session fastest and secure a very provisional pole position as it became clear Mercedes holds a significant advantage over the rest of the grid at Suzuka.