Pirelli is confident that the one pit stop strategy will be the main one.

      Pirelli tire manufacturers noted after the first day of testing in Suzuka that in both sessions on Friday, teams used tires from all three compounds. In most cases, in the morning, drivers first conducted short series of laps, after which they switched to working on pace during long runs.

      As the condition of the updated surface gradually improved, in the second session, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri set the best time of the day, completing a lap on soft tires in 1:30.133.

      Simone Berra, chief engineer at Pirelli: "As is known, this year the asphalt surface in the second and third sectors of the Suzuka track has been updated. Overall, it is smoother than what was laid in 2025, but it still provides decent grip.

      Since the abrasiveness of the asphalt surface is low, controlling tire degradation was easier, and granulation has not yet significantly affected its condition. It can be assumed that team strategists will consider using all three compounds when formulating tactical schemes, but they will almost certainly bet on options with a single pit stop.

      Soft tires provide better grip, and teams already have an idea of their behavior on the Japanese track, but the volume of this information is limited, as few have attempted to complete a long series of laps on them.

      Weather on race day will also have a significant impact on tactical choices, especially as the condition of the track will continue to improve. However, the forecast promises that the temperature will drop by about ten degrees.

      Interestingly, McLaren was the only team that has not yet worked with hard tires, likely done intentionally to preserve both sets of C1 tires until Sunday and have fresh Hard tires available in case of a race neutralization.

      At the same time, information about the behavior of such tires came from all other teams that used one set of such tires during the day, and their feedback was more than positive. Thus, there is a possibility that someone may decide to start on hard tires, which can provide a stable pace in the first segment of the race."