Max Verstappen a terminé en tête de la 1re séance d’essais libres du Grand Prix du Japon. Sergio Perez est 2e et Carlos Sainz a fait le 3e temps. On retrouve ensuite les Mercedes et Charles Leclerc. Fernando Alonso pointe au 7e rang. Oscar Piastri, Yuki Tsunoda et Lando Norris sont les 3 derniers du top 10.
| Pos | No | Pilote | Équipe | Temps | Écart | Tours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:30.056 | 18 | |
| 2 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:30.237 | +0.181s | 18 |
| 3 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:30.269 | +0.213s | 20 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:30.530 | +0.474s | 18 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:30.543 | +0.487s | 23 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:30.558 | +0.502s | 18 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:30.599 | +0.543s | 20 |
| 8 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:31.165 | +1.109s | 23 |
| 9 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 1:31.230 | +1.174s | 20 |
| 10 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:31.240 | +1.184s | 22 |
| 11 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 1:31.935 | +1.879s | 19 |
| 12 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:31.943 | +1.887s | 18 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 1:31.958 | +1.902s | 19 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:32.054 | +1.998s | 17 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:32.055 | +1.999s | 17 |
| 16 | 40 | Ayumu Iwasa | RB Honda RBPT | 1:32.103 | +2.047s | 22 |
| 17 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:32.277 | +2.221s | 23 |
| 18 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:32.638 | +2.582s | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 1:32.803 | +2.747s | 21 |
| 20 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes | 1:33.204 | +3.148s | 10 |