At the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, Max Verstappen secured pole position for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, but faced significant pressure from his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez.
Perez had not qualified on the front row since his pole position at the Miami GP last May, but showed impressive pace from the first practice session on Friday, where he had already found the ideal performance.
He managed to stay close to Verstappen’s pace during Q1 and Q2, but after the first laps in Q3, he was more than three tenths behind Verstappen and was behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Approximately half of the time difference came from the final chicane, as Perez struggled with rear instability in the slower corners of Suzuka.
Perez made some improvements on his final lap and ended up just 0.023s behind Verstappen’s initial time.
“We were incredibly close throughout the weekend. When you are operating within such a small margin, any small factor can make a difference. I didn’t have a great exit from the final corner,” Perez explained after qualifying.
Verstappen also managed to improve on his final lap, extending the gap to Perez to 0.066s. This meant he had two laps that were good enough for pole position. Verstappen described both laps as “not perfect,” but “enough.”
However, this is the closest Perez has been to Verstappen in terms of one-lap pace since his pole position in Miami last year.
Verstappen mentioned after qualifying that he didn’t feel as comfortable with the RB20 car on this circuit compared to others.
Lando Norris secured third place on the grid, ahead of Australian Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz.
Sainz was the best driver for Ferrari, as Charles Leclerc struggled during qualifying. Leclerc needed an additional set of soft tires to advance from Q1, leaving him with only one new set for Q3.
Ferrari chose to send Leclerc out on track before other drivers completed their final laps.
Initially, Leclerc set the seventh fastest time, but ended up dropping to eighth.
“That’s the best I can do, honestly. I don’t understand,” said a confused Leclerc after his lap.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin finished in fifth place, with Oscar Piastri of McLaren in sixth. Piastri secured his first podium in F1 at this circuit last year.
Lewis Hamilton secured seventh place for Mercedes, surpassing George Russell for the first time this season in qualifying.
Yuki Tsunoda continued his dominance over Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo in qualifying, beating him by just 0.055s to secure a spot in Q3.
Tsunoda, the local hero, has now reached Q3 in three out of four races this season and finished in 10th place. Ricciardo had to settle for 11th place, although it is still his best qualifying performance in 2024.
Nico Hulkenberg of Haas finished in 12th place, becoming the highest placed Haas driver.
Valtteri Bottas of Sauber managed to make it into the top 10 in Q1, but couldn’t repeat that performance in Q2, finishing in 13th place. He was ahead of Alex Albon of Williams.
While Alonso was second fastest in Q1 for Aston Martin, his teammate Lance Stroll was over seven tenths behind. This resulted in Stroll being 100% eliminated in Q1 at Suzuka, leaving him in 16th place on the grid.
While Lance Stroll faced disappointment, there was reason to celebrate for Alpine and Esteban Ocon, who secured consecutive appearances in Q2. However, Ocon was unable to improve his position in Q2 and ended up in 15th place on the grid.
His teammate, Pierre Gasly, was unable to join him and finished in 17th place, ahead of Kevin Magnussen from Haas, Logan Sargeant from Williams, and Zhou Guanyu from Sauber, who complained of oversteer throughout Q1.
EXCLUSIVE: Soccer star caught at underground party during pandemic
This past Friday, the renowned soccer player, known for his incredible skills on the field, was caught at an underground party amid the pandemic. The event, which took place at a secret location, had the presence of several famous people and was organized illegally, disregarding all safety measures.
According to eyewitnesses, the player arrived at the location with some friends and spent the night having fun and completely ignoring social distancing recommendations. Photos and videos shared on social media show the star without a mask and without concern for the seriousness of the situation.
The player’s presence at the party sparked outrage and anger among fans and the general population. Many questioned the responsibility and example he should be setting as a public figure and sports idol. Furthermore, the star’s irresponsible behavior could not only jeopardize his own health but also that of other people present at the event.
Authorities are already investigating the case and the player may face legal consequences for his participation in the underground party. The pandemic is not over yet, and it is essential that everyone follows safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Stay tuned for more information on this scandal involving the soccer star and other exclusive news here on our website.
