Max Verstappen has achieved his fifth pole of the season and tomorrow, Sunday, everything will be in his favor to proclaim himself champion early
Leclerc has remained 10 thousandths behind the Dutchman and Sainz will start third on the grid, while Fernando Alonso will do so from seventh position
Max Verstappen has achieved the pole for the Japanese Grand Prix and has put himself in an excellent position to storm his second world title this Sunday in Suzuka. The Dutch driver, who will open the grid for the fifth time this season, has not had to suffer too much to get it, since charles leclercthe one who came closest, was unable to improve on the Dutchman’s first attempt and finished 10 thousandths behind. Carlos Sainzin the same tenth, will start third tomorrow, while Fernando Alonso will do so from seventh position.
Dry
The day at Suzuka has begun – at dawn in Spain – with Verstappen leading the third free practice sessions and the official announcements of Alpine and Alpha Tauri confirming, respectively, Pierre Gasly and Nick De Vries for the 2023 season.
Unlike the rainy Friday, qualifying was held in favorable conditions, with dry asphalt and cool temperatures, 19ºC outside and 26ºC on the track. A strategic complication for Sunday’s race, with a good chance of being wet.
Max Verstappen, who this weekend can sentence the title and be crowned for the second consecutive year in Formula 1, has been the fastest from the start, lowering his own time by more than four tenths to take the lead on his first lap (1.30 .224), with Sainz and Leclerc to 1 tenth and an inspired Fernando Alonso in fourth place.
Gasly and Tsunoda problems with the brakes of the Alpha Tauri have been reported, but while the Japanese has gone ahead in front of his fans, the Frenchman has been eliminated in Q1, along with the two Williams from Albon and Latifi, Magnussen (Haas) and Stroll (Aston Martin).
Favorites, conservatives
sainz (1.30.444) has led the first minutes of Q2 again ahead of his teammate Leclerc, but Verstappen has lowered the time of the Spanish (1.30.346) by just 98 thousandths, pointing to a maximum balance for the final fight for pole
Given their superiority, the two Ferrari drivers and Verstappen with Red Bull have decided to reserve tires while Czech Perezwho did mount new rubber, finished the session as the fastest (1.29.925), ahead of Alonzo and Max. Tsunoda has not passed the sieve, just like Ricciardo, Bottas, Zhoy and Mick Schumacher. Vettel He set an impressive lap to clear the danger zone and get into Q3 for the third time this season at the wheel of the Aston Martin.
The leader, on pole
Verstappen made a difference on his first fast lap attempt (1.29.304) and left Leclerc 2 tenths behind and Sainz 3. The Monegasque, author of nine pole positions this year, for the first time set a better time than the Madrid native but it has not been enough to get close to a relentless ‘Mad’ Max. With Sergio Peréz closing the ‘top 4’, Alonso has positioned himself as the best of the rest, in provisional fifth place. The Spaniard, who has just suffered two consecutive withdrawals in Italy and Singapore due to engine failure, has once again squeezed the Alpine to give his best again.
On the decisive lap, Verstappen He has not improved his time nor has he needed it, since Leclerc, who had set a record in the second sector, has lost his advantage in the last and finished 10 thousandths behind. Pole went to Max, followed by the two Ferraris, with Sainz in third place. Pérez ruled himself out of the fight and finished fourth ahead of an Alpine, but not Alonso’s, who finished seventh, but Ocon’s, who will start fifth tomorrow at Suzuka.