George Russell ✤feels McLaren is still the team to beat in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix despite his strong performance in practice on Friday.

Mercedes star Russell was able to lap within two tenths of McLaren rival168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Lando Norris in FP1 on Fr♈iday morning, before finishing sixth in a truncated second session in the afternoon.

The Briton’s long runs also caught the attention of his McLaren duo Norris and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri, who 1♛68澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:identified him as their ﷽main threat going into Saturday.

However, Russell doesn’t think Mercedes is now on the same level as its engine c🃏ustomer - and also warned that many other teams could join the fight in 𝔉qualifying on Saturday.

“The McLarens once more look very strong and when they put a lap together they are a s🀅tep ahead,” he told F1.com.

“A few oth☂er guys [like Isack] Hadjar have been doing a great job. He has been really fast as well, which was quite a surprise.

“We don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. Fernando [Alonso] bef✱ore he went off [in FP2] was on 🔜a really fast lap as well.

“It's a little bit unusual to see so many different teams in the mix, but I'd like to think we will be in the fight for topꦜ four positions.”

However, Russell was still upbeat about Mercedes’ prospects for qualifying, having been ꦜimp🔯ressed by the car’s handling in windy conditions at Suzuka.

“[It was a] pretty positive day to be honest,” he explained. “The car has been handling really n🉐icely, I have been really pleased with that. We got to make sure it stays the s🐬ame for tomorrow.

“The wind🌼 is playing a big factor. It's really windy out there and tomorro🦂w the wind is going to shift 180 degrees, so that is going to really change how the car is feeling. But I'm confident we are in the mix for fighting for the front two rows.”

Runni𒆙ng in second practice was severely limited due to four separate red flag periods, preventing teams from completing any meaningful long runs.

Nevertheless, Russell managed to do a short stint on the C1 hard tyre, which is ಞlikely to be the compound of choice in Sunday’s race.

“Often when you have 🦹the hard tyre on, it goes quite a long time,” he explained. “I got four laps on that tyre. On Sunday you would hope to be doing up to 30 odd laps on that tyre.

“It's in the last 10 laps in the race when you really ꩵknow if the tyre is able to hold on or not. That is going to be the news to everyone on Sunday. “A bit of rain is maybe on the way.

“As I said we are always there or thereabout on the timesheet, which is the mos꧟t important thing.ꦰ”

Russell's teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished ninth on Friday morning, but failed to set a representatitive lap in FP2 due to constant stoppages.