Verstappen receives pole suspension in Japan

Dry

Day in Suzuka – dawn in Spain – with Verstappen leading the third free practice sessions and official announcements Alpine and Alpha Tauri confirm Pierre Gasly and Nick De Vries respectively for the 2023 season.

Unlike Rainy Friday, the classification favorable conditions with dry asphalt and cold temperatures, 19ºC at ambient and 26ºC on the runway. A strategic complication for Sunday’s race with a high chance of getting wet.

Max Verstappen, who this weekend can make sentences Title He was crowned for the second consecutive year in Formula 1 and entered the fastest, cutting his own time by more than four-tenths to take the lead on the first lap (1.30.224). Alonso is in fourth place.

Gasly and Tsunoda reported brake problems From Alpha Tauri, but the Japanese continued to advance ahead of their fans, the Frenchman were eliminated in Q1 along with two Williams from Albon and Latifi, Magnussen (Haas) and Stroll (Aston Martin).

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Sainz (1.30444) led the first minutes of the second quarter again ahead of teammate Leclerc, but Verstappen reduced the Spaniards’ time (1.30,346) by just 98 thousandths. maximum balance Faced with the final fight for the pole.

Given their merits, the two Ferrari drivers and Red Bull’s Verstappen decided spare tiresFitting new tires, Checo Pérez finished the session fastest (1,29,925) ahead of Alonso and Max.

Tsunoda did not pass the sieve like Ricciardo, Bottas, Zhoy and Mick Schumacher. Vettel made an impressive lap save the dangerous area and enter Q3 for the third time this season behind the wheel of Aston Martin.

leader to the pole

Verstappen made the lead on his first fast lap attempt (1.29.304), beating Leclerc 2nd tenth and Sainz 3rd. it wasn’t enough to get close a brutal ‘Mad’ Max.

As Sergio Peréz closes the ‘top 4’, Alonso has positioned himself as the best of all, provisional fifth place. Retiring twice in a row due to engine failure in Italy and Singapore, the Spaniard finally squeezed Alpine to give his best, despite making a mistake in the end.

In the decisive lap, Verstappen did not improve his time, nor did he need it, as Leclerc, who set a record in the second sector, lost his advantage and finished in 10,000th. He went to the Pole Max, followed by two Ferraris, Leclerc second and Sainz third. Pérez withdrew from the fight and finished fourth, ahead of an Alpine, but not Alonso, who finished in seventh place, but Ocon, who will start fifth in Suzuka tomorrow.