Max Verstappen Dominates Practice Sessions for Japanese Grand Prix
SUZUKA – Max Verstappen has set an impressive standard by recording the fastest times in both practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix, as he aims to secure his third consecutive Formula One title. The Red Bull driver completed a lap in 1min 30.688sec, finishing 0.320sec ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the second practice.
Verstappen, who currently leads his teammate Sergio Perez by 151 points in the championship standings, cannot clinch the title this Sunday. However, a favorable result in Japan could put him on track to seal the deal at the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix next month.
The Dutchman is looking to bounce back after a disappointing fifth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix ended his record streak of 10 consecutive wins. Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with his car’s performance, stating it was “enjoyable to drive again.”
Verstappen’s dominance was evident from the start of the day as he finished the first practice session ahead of Carlos Sainz from Ferrari and Lando Norris from McLaren. He continued to dominate in the second session, briefly surrendering the top spot to Leclerc before reclaiming it by switching to fresh tires.
Norris secured the third-fastest time with 1min 31.152sec. Verstappen commented on his rivals, noting that they were “all a bit tight behind me.” He expressed confidence, saying, “If we focus on ourselves and optimize our performance, I believe we can fight for pole position.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expressed his contentment with Verstappen’s return to form after his challenging Singapore race. Horner described Verstappen’s first flying lap of the weekend as “truly impressive.”
On the other hand, Perez had a more challenging day, finishing ninth in the second practice session. Despite the setback, Perez remained optimistic, stating that his team had a “pretty good understanding of the direction we need to take.” He added, “Things are certainly looking much better than they did last weekend, which is positive.”
Pierre Gasly of Alpine endured a crash towards the end of the second practice session, damaging his front wing. Gasly reassured the team that it was due to a lock-up. Meanwhile, Sainz, who won the Singapore Grand Prix, secured fourth place, followed by Mercedes’ George Russell and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton faced a tough outing, finishing in 14th place. Hamilton admitted struggling with confidence in his car, but remained hopeful that improvements could be made before the race.
Other incidents during the practice sessions included Kevin Magnussen from Haas having a near miss with Sainz at turn two, resulting in a sarcastic thumbs-up from the Spanish driver. Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu experienced a hydraulic leak late in the session. Additionally, Lance Stroll returned to action after missing the Singapore race due to a severe crash during qualifying that destroyed his Aston Martin.
