Max Verstappen conquered pole position in every race of the 2024 season so far, including the Japanese GP. The Dutch driver once again showed his dominance this season, securing two victories and only missing out on the Australian GP due to an early retirement. Determined to make up for this setback, Verstappen secured pole position at the Japanese GP. Despite his impressive performance, he expressed dissatisfaction with his lap time.
Verstappen shared his thoughts on his pole position achievement, expressing that he could have done even better in several sessions at Suzuka. He also expressed his happiness in seeing his teammate qualify right behind him in P2, securing another front row starting position. Therefore, the qualifying session in Japan was deemed “good” by the current world champion.
After retiring due to brake issues at the Australian GP, Verstappen lost crucial points. However, he has performed exceptionally well throughout the weekend and hopes to eliminate any competition early in the race.
There were rumors circulating about the possibility of Verstappen moving to Mercedes, especially after his teammate’s surprising move to Ferrari. However, the Red Bull star reiterated his loyalty to Milton Keynes. Verstappen acknowledged that he understood why Mercedes would want him in their car and mentioned the tensions between the two teams during the controversial title battle in 2021. However, the current world champion believes that everything from the past can be forgiven and forgotten. Despite this, he has no intention of exploring his options to drive for the German manufacturer in Formula 1.
Verstappen will remain at Red Bull and has the potential to break several records until at least 2028, when his contract ends. The 2024 season has started promisingly for the Dutchman, except for the disappointment at Albert Park. The team aims to secure another dominant victory at the Japanese GP to extend its advantage over rival teams.
