Max Verstappen put things back together in qualifying at Suzuka. The Dutchman raced to first place by a long way.
Surprisingly, Max Piastri took second place in what was once again a very fast McLaren. Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris secured third place. Sergio Perez only finished fifth. Perez is surrounded by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in fourth place and Singapore winner Carlos Sainz in sixth place.
“I pushed myself to the limit, it was really fun“Verstappen said after his successful qualifying:”Singapore was a bad weekend. But here it was really great from lap one.” Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko commented with relish on his protégé’s demonstration of power on the Sky microphone: “He wanted to show who is the best and fastest. Everything is back on track.“
Hülkenberg was eliminated early
Meanwhile, Nico Hülkenberg left early. The German Haas driver missed the second knockout round at the Suzuka International Racing Course in 18th place. “Overall, it just wasn’t happy or fast enough,” summed up the 36-year-old. Hülkenberg’s Haas teammate Kevin Magnussen barely survived the first round on Saturday in 15th place.
After an accident involving the American Logan Sargeant, the first knockout round was interrupted nine minutes before the end. The 22-year-old newcomer, whose Formula 1 future is uncertain, lost control of his Williams at the start of the start-finish straight, went onto the grass with the wheels spinning, crashed into the track barrier and demolished the left flank of his car.
Sargeant was able to get out again on his own and ran across the asphalt back into the pit lane. Meanwhile, the Williams was recovered with a sick person. “It hurts, of course,” Sargeant admitted.
Sargeant with a major crash
But he was able to get out again on his own and ran across the asphalt back into the pit lane. Meanwhile, the Williams was recovered with a sick person.
The traditional English racing team has only confirmed Alex Albon as its regular driver for the coming season. Sargeant has not yet been able to score a point in his debut season in Formula 1, but he has already had several accidents. Mercedes replacement Mick Schumacher and Brazilian Aston Martin reservist Felipe Drugovich are considered possible successors.
Verstappen may already be world champion in Qatar
Verstappen is 151 points ahead of his teammate Perez in the drivers’ standings; even if things go ideally in Suzuka, the 25-year-old will only be able to celebrate his third title in a row at the following Grand Prix on October 8th in Losail/Qatar.
Red Bull, which won the first 14 races of the season up to the round on the narrow street circuit in Singapore, can complete the constructors’ championship for the sixth time on Sunday, the seventh to last Grand Prix of the year. To do this, Red Bull has to get at least one point more than its first pursuer Mercedes and can lose a maximum of 23 points to Ferrari, third in the World Cup.