How DRS misjudgment caused Doohan’s crash, FIA takes action after grass fires disrupt practice at Suzuka, and other big updates

How DRS misjudgment caused Doohan’s crash

Alpine confirmed that Jack Doohan’s crash in Friday’s second practice at Suzuka was caused by not closing his car’s DRS, which reduced downforce as he sped into Turn 1. The crash, which occurred just ten minutes into FP2, led to a red flag and significant damage to his A525. Doohan, who had missed FP1, was unharmed but shaken, and expressed gratitude for the team’s work on the car. Alpine’s team principal, Oliver Oakes, confirmed the DRS issue, reassured Doohan's safety, and remained optimistic about the team’s performance, with strong performances from Pierre Gasly and Ryo Hirakawa.

Click here to read the full article by Michael Delaney (f1i.com)

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FIA takes action after grass fires disrupt practice at Suzuka

Two separate grass fires during the second practice at Suzuka caused the FIA to take immediate action to prevent further incidents. The dry conditions and sparks from the F1 cars’ underfloors ignited the grass, and hazy smoke forced two red flags to extinguish the flames. In response, the FIA has cut the grass short, removed loose dried grass, and plans to dampen it before tomorrow’s sessions, with response teams stationed around the track. While similar fires occurred at last year's Chinese Grand Prix, the FIA has yet to pinpoint the exact cause, though sparks were identified as the ignition source.

Click here to read the full article by Thomas Maher (planetf1.com)

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Lawson feels at ease with VCARB 02

Liam Lawson returned to the sister team after being demoted from the main squad due to a poor start to the 2025 season, where he was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda. He had a strong Friday practice at Suzuka, which saw him finish fifth in FP2, and spoke highly of the VCARB 02 car's performance. Lawson expressed gratitude for a fresh start with Racing Bulls, mentioning the positive support from the team. His performance was overshadowed by rookie Isack Hadjar, who was third in FP2 after four red flags in the session.

Click here to read the full article by James Dielhenn (crash.net)

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It Takes Two!

Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan face off in It Takes Two! The rules are simple: each quiz question has two parts. The first part is an easy general knowledge question, and then the other person has to answer a harder, more related question. The Alpine duo are up first—let’s see how they do! Click here to watch the video.

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Inside Lawson’s rollercoaster debut

Behind The Charge follows Liam Lawson as he gets ready for his first Formula One race with Oracle Red Bull Racing at the Australian Grand Prix. Go behind the scenes, from the early excitement and media duties to the unexpected challenges on track, as Liam experiences the highs and lows of his debut.