The Dutchman signed his 9th pole position of the season on Saturday, in Japan, on the Suzuka circuit. He will start on Sunday ahead of Australian Oscar Piastri and Briton Lando Norris.
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He mastered his subject from start to finish. Dutchman Max Verstappen set the best time in qualifying at the Suzuka circuit in Japan on Saturday September 23. The Red Bull driver will start in pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday September 24, signing his 29th pole position in Formula 1, the 9th this season. The undisputed leader in the world championship preceded the McLarens of the surprising Australian Oscar Piastri and the Briton Lando Norris, 3rd.
After ten victories in a row, the Dutchman, double reigning world champion, saw his streak come to an end last weekend in Singapore after the victory of Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), the only Grand Prix of the season not won by Red Bull. Max Verstappen was then keen to once again impose his domination in Japan. “We really had a difficult weekend in Singapore but here I felt that things could go well. From the first lap, everything went well,” reacted the poleman at the microphone of Canal+.
Gasly and Ocon in difficulty
The Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon did not make it past Q2. This is the sixth time this season that the French team has failed to reach Q3. They will start from 12th and 14th place respectively on Sunday.
Finally, earlier in the day, the first part of qualifying (Q1) was interrupted around ten minutes after Logan Sargeant went off the track. The American, who escaped his Williams unscathed, hit a wall at the exit of the last turn, heavily damaging his car. This accident is a hard blow for Sargeant, the only starting driver not yet to have a guaranteed contract for 2024.