By Joanna Guelas
Jack Doohan has been involved in a high-speed crash during Formula 1 practice in Japan before fellow Australian Oscar Piastri topped the time sheets.
Luckless rookie Doohan, the son of former motorcycle world champion Mick, was on his fourth lap in the second practice session at Suzuka on Friday (AEDT) when his car lost grip at high speed on the way into turn one.
He spun into the gravel before colliding with the tyre barrier, with his Alpine car suffering huge damage and losing two wheels. According to both the BBC and Sky Sports, Doohan’s Alpine was travelling at nearly 300km/h when it left the track.
The 22-year-old, attended by medics, walked away from the wreck in a stunning testament to the safety features of modern F1 cars, but he appeared to move gingerly as he exited the track.
The practice session was paused for 20 minutes under a red flag.
Doohan – who sat out first practice as Ryo Hirakawa drove the Alpine – had suffered an early race-ending crash at the rain-hit, season-opening Australian Grand Prix last month.
The Gold Coast product, already under pressure entering the second round of his first full-time F1 season, then finished 16th in China after suffering a 10-second penalty.
Piastri, meanwhile, looks set once again for a battle with his championship-leading teammate Lando Norris after the McLaren pair set the Friday pace.
All eyes are on Jack Doohan this weekend in Japan.Credit: Getty Images
Piastri finished the day on top, only 0.049 seconds clear of Norris, who was more than four tenths clear of third-placed RB rookie Isack Hadjar.
McLaren have won the first two races of the season – Norris winning in Australia and Piastri in China – and are strong favourites heading into this weekend at Suzuka.
Piastri finished only 15th in the first practice session – topped by Norris – but the second running was more representative as the pair look the drivers to beat heading into Saturday’s all-important qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton finished the day fourth fastest for Ferrari ahead of New Zealand’s Liam Lawson on his return to Racing Bulls, having been ditched by Red Bull after only two races.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was eighth fastest when the chequered flag fell, with new Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda 18th.
The second session was red-flagged four times.
Fernando Alonso’s trip into the gravel brought out the second, while grass catching fire at the side of the circuit twice interrupted the session.
AAP, with PA and staff writers
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