The Formula 1 battle resumes tomorrow at the legendary Suzuka Circuit, and the starting grid promises spectacle from the outset. Max Verstappen has clocked the fastest time in a stunning performance and will start from pole position, with the McLaren duo right behind in second and third place. Can the Red Bull driver keep the orange cars at bay during the Japanese Grand Prix?
McLaren has been in top form all weekend in Japan. It’s somewhat of a miracle that Verstappen managed to outpace them during the qualifiers. Therefore, there’s a high chance that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will overtake him sooner or later, simply because they have superior equipment. On the other hand, you can never rule out the Red Bull driver with starting number 1, especially if the predicted rain also plays a role during the race.
Charles Leclerc will start from P4, while George Russell has secured the fifth starting spot for Mercedes. Mercedes newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli, still a rookie in the premier class, leaves a strong impression with P6. Lewis Hamilton (P8) will be disappointed with his position outside the top 5, just behind Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar, who is undoubtedly the surprise of the day with P7. Despite his uncomfortable seating position, which he complained about several times, Hadjar took full advantage of a well-tuned car and some mistakes by the competition.
Tsunoda vs Lawson Showdown
Williams has once again had a solid qualification with Alexander Albon securing P9. However, his teammate Carlos Sainz Jr (P15 after a three-position grid penalty) will have to fight for points, although he is certainly capable of doing so. At Haas, it was Oliver Bearman who performed best, impressively securing a tenth starting position. His teammate Esteban Ocon, however, fared less well, ending up at P18.
Of course, we must also discuss Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver is making his debut for Red Bull in his home race this weekend, but he will be disappointed with P14 on the starting grid. He had a strong performance throughout the weekend, but the pieces didn’t fall into place during the qualification. And notably, Liam Lawson is ahead of him on the grid at P13. You can bet that these drivers will do everything they can to finish ahead of each other.
In short, we can look forward to an exciting race in Japan! Please note, the Grand Prix starts at 05:00 UTC.
