After a losing streak, Max Verstappen, the leader by far in the Formula 1 driver standings, is confident he can return to winning ways at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver saw his record 10-win streak end in Singapore last weekend when he finished fifth. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. won at Marina Bay, knocking Red Bull off the podium for the first time this year.
Unlike the Singapore street circuit, Suzuka is a track much more suited to Verstappen’s car. The Dutchman secured his second consecutive drivers’ championship in Japan last year.
“The circuit in Singapore is so different from what we are going to experience here in terms of car settings. I’m not worried that a weekend like that will disrupt our weekend here,” Verstappen said.
The two free practice sessions held on Friday seem to prove the Dutchman right. Verstappen dominated each of these sessions, the first by more than half a second over Sainz fils and the second, by around three tenths of a second over Charles Leclerc, the other Ferrari driver.
Back behind the wheel of his Aston Martin on Friday, less than a week after the violent accident in which he was involved during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, Quebecer Lance Stroll finished 10th during the initial session, and 11th in the second.
Despite his worst result since last November, Verstappen extended his lead ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in the drivers’ championship to 151 points. The Mexican took eighth place in Singapore.
With seven races remaining, including three sprints, there are 206 points at stake, meaning Verstappen cannot win the title in Japan this weekend. The earliest possible for him is in Qatar on October 8.
While Verstappen cannot secure the drivers’ championship, Red Bull has more than twice as many points as Mercedes, the team in second place in the constructors’ championship. Red Bull can secure the title this weekend, if the team leads Mercedes by at least one point.
Last year, Verstappen became only the 13th driver in history to win the drivers’ championship back-to-back when he triumphed at the Japanese Grand Prix. He took the checkered flag first in a rain-shortened race and secured the title when Charles Leclerc received a penalty for short-circuiting a chicane on the final lap, causing the Ferrari driver to slide. in third place.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, third in Singapore and in the drivers’ standings, has a history of success in Japan. He is a five-time winner of this race, most recently in 2018.
But Hamilton knows how difficult the Red Bulls can be to defeat at Suzuka this weekend.
“I would say if they don’t have a 30-second lead like they did in the past, something’s going on,” he said. I think like Checo (Sergio Perez) said, their last weekend was tough, but their car should be phenomenal here. »
Japan’s only Formula One driver arrived in his homeland with uncertainties surrounding the 2024 season.
Yuki Tsunoda has had a tough time in his last two races. He was unable to start the Italian Grand Prix due to mechanical problems. Then, he did not complete a lap of the race in Singapore following contact with Perez.
“At Monza there were things I couldn’t really control,” Tsunoda said on Friday. In Singapore, there was obviously room for improvement for me, but it ultimately didn’t work out. I’ll just start again and think positive thoughts. »
Tsunoda has only accumulated three points this season and the AlphaTauri team is last in the constructors’ standings with just five points.
Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo replaced Nyck de Vries in Red Bull’s junior team in July. Ricciardo is considered one of the drivers guaranteed to have one of the two wheels of AlphaTauri in 2024.
Ricciardo made his comeback at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but broke a bone in his hand at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. He was in Singapore with the team in a support role when New Zealander Liam Lawson took over for a third race in a row.
Heading into the summer break, Tsunoda was a favorite to stay at the wheel for a fourth season, but when Ricciardo suffered an accident at Zandvoort and was replaced by Lawson, things changed.
Lawson finished 13th and 11th before scoring points in Singapore.
Red Bull and AlphaTauri are considering their options knowing that Tsunoda is backed by Honda, who are working with both Red Bull teams on their powertrains until the end of 2025.
“It’s pretty scary now to talk about team formation,” Tsunoda said. I’m part of the Red Bull family, so I want to stay with Red Bull. My loyalty is to Honda and Red Bull. I wouldn’t be here without them. »
