Arvid Lindblad: "Mate, this Ferrari is off his head! I don't know who this... yeah I don't"

Engineer: "Just overtake them!"

Now it's the turn of Arvid Lindblad in the other Racing Bulls to vent his frustrations on the team radio. The track is busy as the chequered flag is about to come out but one of the Ferrari drivers has blocked the path of the British rookie.

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

If things don't change over the course of this season or going into next, I wonder how long we'll see Max hanging around.

"Oh my god. I mean, yeah, he literally just parked it on the apex the whole way through."

Seventh becomes eighth now for Max Verstappen, as Lando Norris claws back more time and lifts his McLaren up to sixth on the timing screen with his latest flying lap on the soft compound.

Liam Lawson is 14th on the board but a Haas driver has caused the New Zealander a nervous moment in the closing stages of this session.

Verstappen: "What is going on with this shifts again over one lap? It's just horrendous the downshifts!"

Engineer: "Give me a corner please, Max."

Verstappen: "Everywhere."

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's time at Suzuka has been as frustrating as the previous two races in Australia and Shanghai. Isack Hadjar is in 10th place while team-mate Max Verstappen, who has won the past four races from pole position in Japan, is now seventh on the timesheets.

The Dutchman said the car was lacking balance and grip on Friday and he's back on the team radio today to report issues with the downshifts, flagging his discomfort with a naughty word.

David: Miraculous job from McLaren if that car posts a time!

The Audis of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are bookending the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton in fifth and seventh, while Lando Norris is moves his McLaren up to eighth place after missing out on lap time with a battery problem. McLaren CEO Zak Brown told Sky Sports a little earlier the team aren't sure whether it's the same issue that prevented the world champion from starting the Chinese Grand Prix in round two.

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 1:29.362

2. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.254

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.867

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.002

5. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +1.296

"That was a good save!"

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Nice save from Bearman.

The competition between the Mercedes drivers is increasing as Kimi Antonelli is now 0.254 seconds faster than team-mate George Russell. Qualifying starts at 06:00 GMT today, so make sure you're here.

Haas driver Oliver Bearman takes quite a spin at Turn 14 but the Briton composes himself, straightens up and continues on his way.

Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporter at Suzuka

Just a few tweaks on the suspension of Hamilton's car. The soft tyres are on and Ferrari are preparing to send him back out.

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

Antonelli has the right people around him, they know what it takes to win championships. 19 is a young age but growing up in motorsport can mature you pretty quickly. He did a great job in China, maybe that's given him a bit of belief that he can beat Russell. He drove a brilliant race.

The car works, so that's a plus for Lando Norris. The world champion is playing catch-up to his rivals now after missing a chunk of running on Friday and then again today and his first flying lap on the softs puts him 11th on the timesheets.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

I think putting your money on another Mercedes one-two at the front of the grid will be a safe bet this weekend but will it be George Russell or Kimi Antonelli who triumphs?

Russell's latest flying lap is also in the 1:29s but the championship leader finds a bit extra in his car compared to the Italian teenager to go top by 0.011 seconds.

Signs of Lando Norris heading out on track! The world champion has finally joined the action following that battery issue and has the soft compound bolted onto his McLaren.

Engineer: "Are you still looking for some high speed front?"

Max Verstappen: "Yeah, but like a massive amount, not like a tiny bit. Like, now it feels like I need six clicks!"

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Coming here with the majority of the track resurfaced, it's all new. Teams do get data from Pirelli and engineers scanning the track. The simulator will be working around the clock but there's nothing like when you have a track like this with the new surface and you're constantly learning.