Japanese Grand Prix – Qualifying: McLaren lurking behind Max Verstappen

Q1:

Liam Lawson was the first driver to hit the track. This weekend is important for the New Zealander. He must prove that, even though the AlphaTauri seat hunt was closed with the confirmation of Ricciardo and Tsunoda for 2024, his good results in his first three races were not solely due to the pressure of securing a seat in 2024. A challenge that appears even more complex as his main rival, Yuki Tsunoda, receives him at home.

However, if a seat in Franz Tost’s team is now out of reach, Liam Lawson could hypothetically be parachuted in as a replacement for another rookie, Logan Sargeant. The many accidents of the American driver and his lack of rivalry with Albon have seriously damaged his reputation within the paddock. To make matters worse, Sargeant once again crashed his Williams during qualifying at Suzuka. At the end of his first lap, he lost grip at the exit of the last chicane, slid onto the grass, and finally ended up in the barriers. This new incident didn’t fail to upset some people in the garage of the Grove team.

Four drivers had their heads on the chopping block approaching the last 5 minutes of the session following the cancellation of their times. While Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon managed to qualify among the top 15, the same cannot be said for the two Alfa Romeo drivers. Despite running with numerous new upgrades, the Swiss-based team seems unable to find solutions to escape the bottom of the pack. For the second consecutive weekend, Nico Hülkenberg was beaten in the qualifying exercise by Kevin Magnussen.

Eliminated in Q1: Logan Sargeant (20th), Guanyu Zhou (19th), Nico Hülkenberg (18th), Lance Stroll (17th), and Valtteri Bottas (16th)

Q2 :

After a gloomy Singapore Grand Prix for Red Bull, the winged bulls found their stride again in Suzuka. With well-worn tires, Max Verstappen managed to set the fastest lap time with a 1’29’964. The Dutchman was closely followed, not by Ferrari or Mercedes, but by the two McLarens. Just like in Silverstone or Hungary, the papaya-colored cars are the second force on the grid. It was Oscar Piastri, who recently signed a contract extension, who was the fastest McLaren.

Recently unlucky on Sundays, Yuki Tsunoda could forget about his recent mishaps by placing his AlphaTauri in 7th position. It’s the second consecutive time that a car from Faenza reaches Q3. This achievement is a good way for the Japanese driver to thank all his fans who came to support him. By beating Liam Lawson with over 3 tenths of a second advantage, Tsunoda also proves his employer, Red Bull, right for renewing him for a fourth season in the sister team.

Eliminated in Q2: Liam Lawson (11th), Pierre Gasly (12th), Alexander Albon (13th), Esteban Ocon (14th), and Kevin Magnussen (15th)

Q3:

Lewis Hamilton had warned us at the beginning of the weekend: the Red Bull was going to be impressive this weekend. Suzuka is the ultimate circuit that flatters and honors dominant machines. The reigning two-time world champion made a strong statement right from his first attempt in Q3, setting a magnificent 1’29’012. As in Q2, Verstappen was followed by the two McLarens.

Max Verstappen has finally improved his reference time by half a tenth to secure his 9th pole position this season. After a somewhat disappointing interlude in Singapore, the championship leader is back in his favorite position this weekend.

With this second position on the grid, Oscar Piastri is in an ideal position to finally secure the first podium of his very young career. The Australian will have to be careful with his teammate but especially with Sergio Perez. Despite his 5th position on the grid, the Mexican has proven this season that he should never be counted out on Sundays.

Results table: