Max Verstappen took his fifth pole position of the season in Japan, despite failing to improve on his final lap, beating Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz by just thousandths. However, the Dutchman’s first place was left up in the air after being investigated for an incident at the start of Q3, although it was eventually confirmed that he only received a reprimand and will start first.
While warming up tires on his lap out of the pits, Verstappen almost lost control of his Red Bull, and Lando Norris’s McLaren , which was passing that point, had to go slightly off track to avoid hitting him.
Verstappen had been fastest in the first attempt of the final round, but was unable to improve in the second after crashing through the curb at Turn 2 and breaking a small piece of his rear end, which will force his team to make repairs. . However, his first time earned him pole position when both Leclerc , who had set the second sector record, and Carlos Sainz , who was very combative throughout the day, did not improve sector 3.
In the end, Ferrari held the pulse but they were 10 and 57 thousandths behind the world leader, who (if there is no sanction) will start from first place on Sunday with many options to be crowned world champion 2022.
With the other Red Bull , Sergio Pérez was never in the fight, and he only had his moment of glory by leading a Q2 in which neither the Ferraris nor his teammate had gone out on the track for the second time. The Mexican will start fourth, trying to join the party.
Fernando Alonso seemed ready to fight with Checo to be fourth in a very good weekend, but in the final attempt he only improved in the third sector and was in fact overtaken by his teammate Esteban Ocon (who will start fifth) and Lewis Hamilton (sixth). ). Along with the Asturian, in the fourth row, George Russell will leave with the other Mercedes
Sebastian Vettel made a great classification to arrive as the only Aston Martin in Q3 (his teammate fell in Q1). The four-time champion, in the final round, made his only attempt in the first few minutes and, with no available tires, returned to the box saying goodbye to the public in his last Formula 1 qualifying at Suzuka . In fact, that time he had saved earned him ninth, ahead of Norris , the only McLaren in Q3.
F1 Japan GP 2022 Qualifying Results
(Click on ‘see results’ to enjoy all the sessions)
| Cla | Pilot | laps | Weather | Difference | Interval | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Max Verstappen |
 |
7 | 1’29.304 | ||
| 2 |  Charles Leclerc |
 |
7 | 1’29.314 | 0.010 | 0.010 |
| 3 |  Carlos Sainz Jr. |
 |
7 | 1’29,361 | 0.057 | 0.047 |
| 4 |  Sergio Perez |
 |
6 | 1’29,709 | 0.405 | 0.348 |
| 5 |  Esteban Ocon |
 |
6 | 1’30.165 | 0.861 | 0.456 |
| 6 |  Lewis Hamilton |
 |
6 | 1’30.261 | 0.957 | 0.096 |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso |
 |
6 | 1’30.322 | 1.018 | 0.061 |
| 8 | George Russell |
|
6 | 1’30.389 | 1.085 | 0.067 |
| 9 |  Sebastian Vettel |
 |
3 | 1’30.554 | 1.250 | 0.165 |
| 10 | Lando Norris |
 |
5 | 1’31.003 | 1.699 | 0.449 |
| see results | ||||||
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
This was the Q1 of the F1 classification in Japan
Nicholas Latifi and the two AlphaTauri took to the track as soon as the green light for the first round turned on, although in general Q1 started calmly and in the first five minutes only Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly had set time. The Mercedes started on medium tires and, on his first lap, Max Verstappen posted the fastest time of the weekend on softs.
Sainz managed to stay just one tenth, something that Leclerc also achieved, while Alonso slipped behind them and ahead of Pérez. Yuki Tsunoda had a scare with an apparent brake problem that made the Japanese angry, who had to return to the pits. With five minutes remaining, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were in a risky position and were forced to set up a soft game with which they would have no problems.
The last moments were very intense and with many improved laps. Pierre Gasly had a major crash which, as had happened to his teammate, made him angry and protest on the radio about the temperature of his brakes. In addition to the Frenchman, Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen and the Williams also fell.
Qualified and eliminated from Q1 of the Japanese GP
| Cla | Pilot | laps | Weather | Difference | Interval | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen |
 |
3 | 1’30.224 | ||
| two | Carlos Sainz Jr. |
 |
3 | 1’30,336 | 0.112 | 0.112 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc |
 |
3 | 1’30.402 | 0.178 | 0.066 |
| 4 | Fernando Alonso |
 |
3 | 1’30.603 | 0.379 | 0.201 |
| 5 | Sergio Perez |
 |
3 | 1’30,622 | 0.398 | 0.019 |
| 6 | Esteban Ocon |
 |
6 | 1’30.696 | 0.472 | 0.074 |
| 7 | George Russell |
 |
7 | 1’30.865 | 0.641 | 0.169 |
| 8 |  Daniel Ricciardo |
 |
5 | 1’30.880 | 0.656 | 0.015 |
| 9 | Lando Norris |
 |
7 | 1’30.881 | 0.657 | 0.001 |
| 10 |  Guanyu Zhou |
 |
6 | 1’30.894 | 0.670 | 0.013 |
| 11 | Lewis Hamilton |
 |
8 | 1’30.906 | 0.682 | 0.012 |
| 12 |  Yuki Tsunoda |
 |
9 | 1’31.130 | 0.906 | 0.224 |
| 13 | Mick Schumacher |
 |
6 | 1’31.152 | 0.928 | 0.022 |
| 14 |  Valtteri Bottas |
 |
6 | 1’31.226 | 1.002 | 0.074 |
| 15 | Sebastian Vettel |
 |
6 | 1’31.256 | 1.032 | 0.030 |
| 16 |  Alexander Albon |
 |
6 | 1’31.311 | 1.087 | 0.055 |
| 17 | Pierre Gasly |
 |
9 | 1’31.322 | 1,098 | 0.011 |
| 18 |  Kevin Magnussen |
 |
6 | 1’31.352 | 1.128 | 0.030 |
| 19 |  Lance Stroll |
 |
6 | 1’31.419 | 1.195 | 0.067 |
| 20 | Nicholas Latifi |
 |
8 | 1’31.511 | 1.287 | 0.092 |
| see results | ||||||
This was the Q2 of the F1 classification in Japan
The Ferraris were the first to hit the track for Q2, with a set of used tyres, as would the Red Bulls. Sainz enjoyed first place after the first minutes, beating Leclerc by thousandths before Verstappen beat the Madrid mark by just 0.098s.
Despite an error, Alonso again won the first challenge against Checo Pérez, but Ocon, Ricciardo and Hamilton were ahead of the Spaniard. After the opening laps Norris, Vettel, Zhou, Mick Schumacher and Tsunoda were all in elimination positions, with both Ferrari and Verstappen deciding not to start again.
Pérez, who did start again, managed to be first, while Ocon was third. Alonso was tenth, but he still had to finish his lap and, when he did, he surprised again with second position ahead of Verstappen and behind Pérez. Sebastian Vettel saved the furniture for his team with a great lap and Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher (who had a double brush on the track) were eliminated along with Daniel Ricciardo and the two Alfa Romeos.
Qualified and eliminated from Q2 of the Japanese GP
| Cla | Pilot | laps | Weather | Difference | Interval | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sergio Perez |
|
9 | 1’29,925 | ||
| 2 | Fernando Alonso |
|
9 | 1’30.343 | 0.418 | 0.418 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen |
|
6 | 1’30.346 | 0.421 | 0.003 |
| 4 | Esteban Ocon |
 |
12 | 1’30.357 | 0.432 | 0.011 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton |
 |
14 | 1’30.443 | 0.518 | 0.086 |
| 6 | Carlos Sainz Jr. |
 |
6 | 1’30,444 | 0.519 | 0.001 |
| 7 | George Russell |
 |
13 | 1’30.465 | 0.540 | 0.021 |
| 8 | Lando Norris |
|
13 | 1’30.473 | 0.548 | 0.008 |
| 9 | Charles Leclerc |
 |
6 | 1’30.486 | 0.561 | 0.013 |
| 10 | Sebastian Vettel |
 |
12 | 1’30.656 | 0.731 | 0.170 |
| 11 | Daniel Ricciardo |
 |
11 | 1’30.659 | 0.734 | 0.003 |
| 12 | Valtteri Bottas |
 |
12 | 1’30.709 | 0.784 | 0.050 |
| 13 | Yuki Tsunoda |
|
15 | 1’30.808 | 0.883 | 0.099 |
| 14 | Guanyu Zhou |
|
12 | 1’30.953 | 1.028 | 0.145 |
| 15 | Mick Schumacher |
 |
12 | 1’31.439 | 1.514 | 0.486 |
| see results | ||||||
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