Max Verstappen says that it “does not make it” for Lando Norris and Oscar Piaster in the Sunday Japanese Grand Prix because the rain threatens Suzuka.
Verstappen took his first pole in more than nine months to surprise everyone after McLaren dominated the training session.
Norris and Piastri have each of the first two races, but Verstappen is only eight points behind the British driver who runs the championship.
“Even if you have a good start or not, it will be difficult for us,” Verstappen said Sky Sports F1.
“So far, the pace of the race was not the best for us. We know it.
“At the same time I won’t be easy. I want to try to win. We have to wait and see what the weather will do, and I just hope it will be an interesting race.”
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Max Verstappen was left in disbelief after grabbing the pole from the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the Japanese Grand Prix
McLaren is expected to have a stronger pace of the race, but will have to overtake Verstappen on the track or through a strategy unless they do it at the beginning.
The demanding perimeter Suzuka is traditionally difficult to overtake with only one drs on the main plane and it is difficult to follow fast corners in the first half of the wedge, so the position of the tracking is important.
Although Verstappen pushed Norrisa hard in the last stages of the Australian Grand Prix, which opens the season, McLaren pulled a large gap for 20 seconds until the security cars brought the field together.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris ensures its first victory of the season at the Australian Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen and George Russell completed the stages in places
In China, Verstappen was 16 seconds when I gave the winner of the Piastri race, but all the time lost on medium tires in the first stint before holding a gap on hard tires.
“It will be very difficult (to win), but that’s fine. I’ll try to do my best,” Verstappen added.
“So far we haven’t been able to fight them this season. But it’s not like we’re just sitting there and accepting it. We’re trying to do the best and we’ll fight it tomorrow.
“But at the end of the day it is a very long championship and you have to continue scoring points whenever you can the best possible way. At least we start from the front – then we’ll see where we’re going.”
Norris “enthusiastic” for the Battle of Verstappen
Verstappen was not extremely aggressive when he fought against drivers in the opening two races, unlike the duels he had with Norris when the title race warmed up in 2024.
It seems that Verstappen is not willing to risk it all by fighting cars that they think they are faster, as shown in the Chinese Sprint Grand Prix, when he almost stepped out of the way for Piastri, maximize his points.
The tactics worked because Verstappen’s victory could get into the championship management, although the Red Bull is obviously lower than McLaren.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri share their excitement in the prospect of the Japanese Battle of Grand Prix with Max Verstappen
Norris showed his credentials in Australia by holding his head in humid conditions to postpone Verstappen, and may have to prove to defeat the Dutch again.
“I am enthusiastic about the battle with Max. We had a lot of them last year, we look forward to the next one tomorrow,” he said Sky Sports F1.
“I don’t know what the weather will do, which is a big question honestly.
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The McLaren driver Oscar Piastri ran on the grass and left him to re -join the last place!
Piastri, who celebrates his 24th birthday on Sunday, added: “I think we have a good pace. I think others were not as far as people think. You never know with engine modes and the like.
“Of course the game plan is to try to finish two places before I start. But besides, we’ll see what we get.”
Will the rain cause in Suzuce?
If the Australian Grand Prix opens the season, the rain with the current generation of cars on a challenging circuit will cause a lot of mistakes.
Every newcomer, in addition to Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, collapsed and even experienced Fernando Alonso turned his Aston Martin.
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Ted Kravitz from Sky F1 reflects all large speech points from qualification to Japanese Grand Prix
The latest weather forecast says it will be hard to rain in Suzuce before stopping early in the afternoon before the start of the race at 15:00 local time (6:00 in the UK).
Probably the wet song at the beginning of the Japanese Grand Prix, causing a thrilling start with 20 drivers rolling on Turn 1.
F1 officials hope that the rain will also get rid of any chances of more grass fires after the outbreak of the fifth fire during the qualification on Saturday.
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Lewis Hamilton shares the disappointment of qualifications and says it’s not “good enough” with his position P8
Lewis Hamilton, who starts eighth, hopes the wet weather will move up the field.
“I really love the rain, so I hope it will come tomorrow after such a qualification,” he said.
His teammate Charles Leclerc begins fourth, but it is unlikely to question victory in dry conditions, while George Russell and Kimi Antonelli focus on the stage of the fifth and sixth.
Back, home hero Yuki Tsunoda will look like a field from 14 will be charged. In his first Grand Prix for Red Bull.
Sky Sports F1’s Live Japanese GP Schedule
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Here’s your Paddock Pass for the Japanese Grand Prix, it connects to Naomi Schiff when sharing a creeping view in Suzuka!
Sunday 6th April
- 4.30: Setup of Japanese GP: Sunday Grand Prix*
- 6:00: Japanese Grand Prix*
- 8:00: Japanese GP reaction: chessboard*
- 9:00: Ted’s notebook*
*Live also at the main Sky Sports event
The formula is this weekend on the Suzuka iconic circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix, Live On Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract whenever cancel
