Formula 1: Verstappen continues his 100% in qualifying and will start on pole in Japan News

Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), leader of the Formula 1 world championship, will start at the top of the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday after winning pole position on Saturday at Suzuka.

The three-time reigning world champion, who scored his fourth pole in four qualifications this year, beat his Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez and the Briton Lando Norris (McLaren).

Two weeks after his unexpected retirement in Australia, the first in two years, Verstappen confirmed that he would be difficult to beat this weekend on a circuit that he really likes and where he has two successes.

“It was quite tight in the end, this track is very sensitive for the tires and when you go to the limit, it doesn't matter whether it works or not. It’s good as a team to be 1st and 2nd, I hope we can keep these positions tomorrow (Sunday) in the race,” explained the Dutchman after qualifying.

The margin of “Mad Max” has been reduced significantly since the last race on the fast Japanese circuit last fall, since Pérez made him tremble until the end before finally failing just 66 thousandths behind his teammate .

“The conditions here are always complicated, it's very easy to lose one or two tenths so it's difficult to achieve a perfect lap. It really didn't go far today, I'm very close to Max. We made good progress this weekend and I am in a good position for the race,” underlined Pérez.

As in Melbourne, Briton Lando Norris will start in third position on the starting grid at the wheel of his McLaren and will try to keep this position, as in Australia, to achieve a new podium.

The Spaniard Carlos Sainz, surprise winner in Australia, took fourth place and limited the damage for Ferrari, a little behind this weekend, like the disappointing eighth place of Monegasque Charles Leclerc.

The veteran Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) achieved an encouraging fifth time, well ahead of his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll, only 16th, while the Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) confirmed the good dispositions of the papaya single-seaters in Japan by winning the sixth fastest time.

Seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) will start in seventh position, while the other Silver Arrow of his compatriot George Russell will have to be content with ninth place.

In front of his home crowd, Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) narrowly snatched his place in Q3, where he could not do better than 10th, a nevertheless honorable result which delighted the enthusiastic Japanese public who came in large numbers to Suzuka.

The Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix grid:

1st line:

Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)

Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull)

2nd line:

Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari)

3rd line:

Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)

4th line:

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)