F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix

F1 LIVE | Qualifying Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull didn't get things right in Singapore, but the Austrian team seem to have perfected it in Japan less than a week later. Verstappen drove by far the fastest time during the first and second free practice. In addition, the RB19 of the two-time world champion in the long runs was elusive, an analysis from this website showed.

Verstappen feels very comfortable in the Red Bull again this weekend - as usual - but teammate Sergio Perez is a bit behind. The Mexican did not come out fantastically from the starting blocks with an 11th and 9th fastest time. The third free practice will therefore be of great importance for the 33-year-old to still enter qualifying with a good feeling.

Red Bull seems to have to fear Ferrari the most this weekend. Charles Leclerc said he expected a Red Bull to win after FP2, but the Maranello team didn't have to admit much in qualifying on the first day in Japan. If the Italians still manage to find something in the final training, it may be very exciting in the battle for pole position.

Suzuka Circuit

The Japanese track is well-known worldwide for its layout, made of a thrilling sequence of fast left-hand turns and some iconic corners like the Spoon Curve and the famous 130R. This makes Suzuka one of the most complete circuits on the calendar, where aerodynamics, mechanics and power unit all make the difference around a single lap. Over the race, the tyres (especially the fronts) are really stressed, so that's another factor teams need to manage. Finding the right set-up is, therefore, crucial to have a clean weekend, so let’s see which choices have been made by the teams this year. 

In qualifying, Ferrari and McLaren seem most likely to claim the places behind them, with McLaren the clear favourites for Sunday. Lando Norris' pace, in particular, looks impressive, and at Suzuka, Ferrari can no longer camouflage tyre wear with good top speed or deliberately push race pace.

Mercedes have yet to make a move but could benefit from Ferrari's relegation. In general, Mercedes' car suffers less from tyre wear, but they need to find more speed than they demonstrated on Friday. Aston Martin don't seem as competitive as they were at the start of the season. Fernando Alonso is there, but competing for a podium seems too much to ask.

Alexander Albon is also in good shape again. Especially in the qualifying run, the Thai was very strong. It will be harder for him to keep the tyres strong in the race. In that respect, Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri are looking good. Those two teams were on good pace in the long runs and will be hoping to pick up some points on Sunday.