Japanese GP: Verstappen takes pole but is under investigation
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took F1 Japanese GP pole from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz but the Dutchman is under investigation.
Q1:
It was dry to start the F1 Japanese GP qualifying at Suzuka with the Mercedes pair opting for medium tyres for their first run. Williams’ Alexander Albon had one of his fast laps getting deleted, while the AlphaTauri pair suffered brake problems.
At the front, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the pace with a 1m30.224s lap, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in second and third in Q1. The knockout zone saw Albon (1m31.311s) missing out on Q2 by just the 0.055s margin in 16th.
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly (1m31.322s) was frustrated with the continuous brake issue to be only 17th with Haas’ Kevin Magnnusen (1m31.352s) 18th, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (1m31.419s) 19th and Williams’ Nicholas Latifi (1m31.511s) 20th.
Q2:
The second part in F1 Japanese GP qualifying saw Red Bull’s Sergio Perez on top with a 1m29.925s lap as he led Alpine’s Fernando Alonso who set a late quick lap. The Mexican’s teammate Verstappen ended up third from the other Alpine of Esteban Ocon.
Replays showed a moment in the pits between Haas’ Mick Schumacher and AlphaTauri’s Tsunoda where the German overtook him as they headed out. On their out lap, the Japanese driver complained of dangerous driving/weaving from the German.
But eventually they both were knocked out, with McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m30.659s) was first in 11th – losing out by just the 0.003s margin. Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas (1m30.709s) was 12th from Tsunoda (1m30.808s), Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu (1m30.953s) and Schumacher (1m31.439s).
Q3:
The final part in F1 Japanese GP at Suzuka saw Red Bull’s Verstappen set the pace for provisional pole with a 1m29.304s but replays showed the Dutchman having a moment against McLaren’s Lando Norris in a bizarre moment.
There was a gap between Verstappen and Norris at the 130R, and the Dutchman went for tyre weaving where he lost a bit of his rear. The Brit just arrived at the left-hander and both were caught out as he had to take evasive action to avoid him.
He went on the grass as Verstappen apologised to him but the moment has been put under investigation. On the standings, the Dutchman led the Ferrari pair of Leclerc and Sainz ahead of their final runs in the fight for F1 Japanese GP pole.
Both of them came close in the end but it was not enough as despite Verstappen not improving on his final attempt, he took F1 Japanese GP pole by 0.010s from Leclerc (1m29.314s) while Sainz (1m29.361s) was 0.057s behind.
Replays showed a moment for Verstappen on the kerb where he lost a part of his car too. Teammate Perez (1m29.709s) was fourth from Alpine’s Ocon (1m30.165s) after the Frenchman put a late good lap from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (1m30.261s).
The Brit had the other Alpine of Alonso (1m30.322s) in seventh with the other Mercedes of George Russell (1m30.389s) in eighth from Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel (1m30.554s) and McLaren’s Norris (1m31.003s) in the Top 10.
