Once every driver had got laps in on Pirelli’s red-marked rubber, it was championship leader Norris who topped the timesheets with a benchmark of 1m 28.549s around a partially resurfaced and updated track, followed closely by Russell and Leclerc.
Norris’ effort, which came slightly later in the session than those around him, and followed a trip onto the grass and gravel exiting the final chicane, kept him in the P1 spot over the aforementioned Mercedes and Ferrari drivers through to the chequered flag.
AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton backed up team mate Leclerc in fourth, from the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Tsunoda, who remained closely matched, while Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin in an encouraging seventh over Racing Bulls racer Isack Hadjar.
Kimi Antonelli wound up ninth in the sister Mercedes, having survived a visit to the gravel at the Turn 11 hairpin late on, with Williams pair Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in P10 and P11 respectively – the latter doing the same as Antonelli earlier in the session.