SUZUKA, Japan - World champion Max Verstappen topped the timesheets for Red Bull in the first free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday as Logan Sargeant deepened the woes of the Williams team by slamming his car into a trackside tyre wall.

Verstappen, looking to get back to winning ways this weekend after his first retirement since 2022 in Australia two weeks ago, clocked one minute, 30.056 seconds when the session resumed after a red-flag stoppage for Sargeant's shunt.