Max Verstappen said he found Japan’s Suzuka circuit “intimidating” the first time he navigated a Formula 1 car around the figure-eight layout with its high-speed corners and narrow confines.
No longer daunted by Suzuka, the track looks like an ideal
bounce-back destination for Verstappen. In the last F1 race two weeks ago in
Australia, a fire on his right-rear brakes forced him out on the fourth lap —
ending a nine-race victory string.
“I think if you look at Melbourne performance-wise, I think
we were quick, but we didn’t finish the race,” Verstappen said. “So that’s not
ideal, but our car normally likes the higher-speed corners, so hopefully we can
show that again this weekend.”
That’s what’s expected Sunday from the three-time defending
F1 champion.
He was the quickest in Friday’s first practice session. The
second session was dampened by a light rain with most teams deciding not to run
in the damp to save tire wear. Verstappen was among those sitting out.
Verstappen clocked 1 minute, 30.056 seconds in the first
practice, .181 ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and .213 up on Ferrari’s Carlos
Sainz, winner of the Australian GP .
Verstappen won his second Formula 1 season title at Suzuka
in 2022, and he dominated in Japan last season as he won his third straight
title.
That race was only six months ago. The Japanese race has
been moved to the beginning of the F1 calendar in 2024, dovetailing perfectly
with a big weekend in the cherry blossom season across the Japanese
archipelago.
Rain is in the forecast for Sunday, a weather condition that
often greeted the race when it was run in the fall, or autumn.
Verstappen won this season’s first two races in Bahrain and
Saudi Arabia, which has been partly overshadowed by the alleged conduct of team
principal Christian Horner toward a team employee.
Verstappen was asked in Japan about his future with Red
Bull, amid rumors about a move to Mercedes.
“I’m very happy where I’m at,” he said. “And, yeah, we want
to keep it that way.”
“I have a contract with Red Bull until ’28,” he added.
“After that, I first want to see if I actually even want to continue.”
Ferrari’s Sainz said closing the gap on Red Bull could be
difficult.
“Last year (September) we were, I think, 0.7-0.8 seconds off
Red Bull here,” he said. “So it’s time to see where we are this year and see if
we can be at least closer.”
Sainz will be replaced next season at Ferrari by Lewis
Hamilton, so he’s job hunting. And he missed the second race of the season with
an appendicitis operation.
“I stayed in Australia for a week and started going back to
the gym,” Sainz said. “Still obviously not lifting heavy numbers like I used to
do in the past, but at least I can get my training done and I’m feeling back to
100%.”
Seven-time champion Hamilton — moving to Ferrari next season
— went out in Australia with engine failure, and Mercedes teammate George
Russell exited in a dangerous crash. Suzuka may not suit Mercedes this time.
“I think there’s a clear trend, where we know our strengths
in the car, our weaknesses,” Russell said. “Definitely performing stronger in
the low-speed corners, struggling a bit in the high-speed corners, of which
there’s more of it in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), more in Melbourne, more in
Suzuka.”
Japanese driver Ayumu Iwasa drove the first practice session
for the RB team, hoping to eventually land a full-time ride. Japanese drivers
have had limited success in F1, although Takuma Sato did win the Indy 500 twice
after struggling in F1.
F1’s lone American driver Logan Sargeant crashed in Friday’s
first practice session. His Williams team does not have a spare chassis, which
means Williams may run Sunday with a single car driven by Alex Albon.
“It’s pretty significant (damage)” Williams team principal
James Vowles said. “The chassis is OK, fortunately, but I would say pretty much
everything else isn’t; suspension all around, gearbox cracked. Big damage.”
Williams said it hoped to have the car ready for Saturday’s
free practice.
Sargeant was pulled out of the Australia GP two weeks ago.
Teammate Albon crashed in that practice and, without a spare chassis, Albon was
given Sargeant’s car to drive in the Melbourne race.
Vowles said Sargeant seemed ready on Friday to assert
himself.
“Obviously he was in a very good state of mind this week and
last night again when I called him,” Vowles said. “Really, really strong state
of mind. He just wanted to get back into the car and get going but not with the
intention of proving to the world he deserves a seat.”
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