The leader of the World Championship, punished with a simple reprimand after a dangerous mistake against Norris in Q3, led Leclerc by 10 thousandths and Sainz by 57, with Alonso seventh.
He couldn’t help the tail of his Red Bull as he warmed up the tires on the mythical 130R and his mistake sent lando norris to the grass The stewards noted the incident for thorough investigation, though by way of redemption Max Verstappen He set a time (1:29.304) unapproachable for Ferrari: 10 thousandths before charles leclerc and 57 vs. Carlos Sainz. A very tight classification in Suzuka, where the reigning champion can defend his title tomorrow. A victory with a fast lap is enough for him.
Unlike Singapore, with its exasperating wait to confirm the victory of sergio prez, the commissioners did not take too long today. They settled Verstappen’s maneuver with a simple reprimand and the following argument: “He was aware that Norris was approaching from behind and decided to accelerate precisely at the moment when he decided to overtake him. Unfortunately, due to the cold tires, Verstappen lost control of the car.” car causing it to “break” counterclockwise.
At that critical moment, the McLaren was overtaking a Red Bull at 240 km/h, which did not exceed 100 km/h. Also, depending on the version of Christian Horner, main team of Red Bull, the young Briton skipped the “gentleman’s agreement” that governs that part of the track. “When you get there everyone holds position and goes through the chicane one at a time. So Lando just wanted to jump the queue,” explained the Briton. Less than an hour later, Garry Connelly, felix holter, Mika Salo Y Kazuhiro Tsuge they cleared Verstappen of almost any responsibility.
Alonso: “We had to improvise”
Waiting for what happens with the rain, which on Friday completely altered the plans, the current champion has arguments to put the blind to the World Cup. If the race is held in the dry, with the predictable two stops, it arrives with two new sets of soft tires and another set of medium ones. The same as Ferrari, who could also reserve theirs in Q2. If you have to navigate between the puddles, Mad Max should face more uncertainties against rivals who have nothing to lose.
Sainz, for example, has been warning since Thursday of his appetite for victory and today he fought fiercely. “There are already many Saturdays being half a tenth behind Charles and Max. Hopefully this will change by the end of the year,” analyzed the man from Madrid. Meanwhile, Leclerc did everything in his power, polishing every detail in the first and last corner, where his deficit was located against the leader. Since 2011, when Sebastian Vettel signed the pole for nine thousandths before Mark Webberlet’s not attend such a tight Saturday at Suzuka.
Meanwhile, sergio prezfrom fourth place, must deal with the Ferraris, while Stephen Ocon, fifth, command operations in Alpine. For the seventh time this season, the Frenchman led Fernando Alonso, to start seventh. “We could hardly test during the free session in the morning, so we had to improvise with the settings,” said the Spaniard, who had been ahead of his team-mate throughout the weekend. Including the first attempt of Q3, with used tires, one second behind the head. It’s too bad that he finally ended up embedded between Lewis Hamilton Y George Russell. Definitive conclusions can no longer be drawn from Mercedes’ performance.
Nor is there anyone who understands the arguments of Otmar Szafnauerhead of Alpine, who in the previous hours had sent a scathing message when asked about Pierre Gasleyconfirmed today to get into his car from 2023. “He is young, experienced and fast. Requirements that Alonso and Oscar Piastri“, launched the main team. Just a few hours later, the French driver was eliminated in Q1.
AlphaTauri then had some brake problems, although yuki tsunoda was able to give a joy to the local fans, entering the next screen. Mike Schumacher, after his absurd mistake on Friday that would drive the people of Haas so mad, he also took a small step forward in the company of Vettel. And the four-time champion still knew how to advance to Q3, with just three thousandths before Daniel Ricciardo. “I’m ecstatic about that lap,” he admitted on Aston Martin radio.
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