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Max Verstappen reprimanded for Lando Norris incident but keeps Japanese GP pole
Max Verstappen beats Charles Leclerc by 0.010s to take Japanese Grand Prix pole
Verstappen receives reprimand but no grid drop for incident with Lando Norris
Carlos Sainz in third, Lewis Hamilton sixth and George Russell eighth
Max Verstappen hit out at Lando Norris as the Formula One champion-elect narrowly avoided a collision with the McLaren on his way to pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Dutchman will retain his title if he wins and takes the fastest lap in Sunday's race and he gave himself the best chance of doing so by going quickest in qualifying.
But it could have been a different story after Norris took evasive action having sped up to the back of a slower Verstappen as the pair prepared for their respective flying laps. Verstappen was summoned to the stewards for the incident but escaped with a reprimand and keeps his pole position.
😲😲😲 pic.twitter.com/tZn7S88n7Y
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 8, 2022
"We were on our out lap and we were all lining up to create a gap to everyone and then somehow he still wanted to get me into the chicane," explained Verstappen.
"But I was on the point of accelerating and I was on very cold tyres, so I had a little moment and that's why he had to drive around me.
"But if he had just a bit more respect for me, because everyone is anyway lining up and I don't think anyone is trying to pass into that last chicane, so by trying to pass me you create that kind of thing."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was also unhappy with the move made by Norris.
"There is a gentleman's agreement between the drivers that when you get to that part of the circuit that you hold position and you file through the last corner one by one," he said.
"So, Lando decided that he wants to jump the queue as they head up to that final chicane. They were following each other around the lap until that point. I don't think [Max] expected it. He was warming the tyres up to start the lap. They go one-by-one through the chicane.
"They are all doing different things on the out lap and I can only assume that Lando wanted to blitz it into 130R and the chicane."
Verstappen ultimately set the fastest time, just 0.10 seconds faster than the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc with Carlos Sainz third.
Fernando Alonso's Alpine was fourth ahead of the sister Red Bull of Sergio Perez and the Mercedes pair of George Russell - who had gone fastest in Friday's wet session - and Lewis Hamilton.
Lando Norris was eighth for McLaren with Esteban Ocon ninth and Lance Stroll's Aston Martin rounding out the top 10.
F1 returned to Japan this year for the first time since 2019 and could see Verstappen secure another title.
The 25-year-old insists he remains fully focused on the track as the furore over the 2021 budget caps rumbles on.
Red Bull faced unproven allegations at the Singapore Grand Prix that they exceeded F1's costs cap last term - bringing into the spotlight the legitimacy of Verstappen's already controversial championship win over Hamilton.
With the FIA set to announce their findings on Monday, Verstappen will be keen to seal this year's title in advance of any potential fall-out.
PA Sport
Japanese Grand Prix qualifying classification
Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1min 29.304secs
Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:29.314
Carlos Sainz Jr (Spa) Ferrari 1:29.361
Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:29.709
Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:30.165
Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:30.261
Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:30.322
George Russell (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:30.389
Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:30.554
Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:31.003
Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) McLaren 1:30.659
Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:30.709
Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:30.808
Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:30.953
Mick Schumacher (Ger) Haas F1 1:31.439
Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1:31.311
Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:31.322
Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:31.352
Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:31.419
Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:31.511
Japanese GP qualifying, as it happened
09:08 AM
Still no word from Max Verstappen's stewards' hearing
But we will let you know as soon as we get any news.
08:53 AM
Lando Norris did not sound very confident of a good result tomorrow...
...whatever the weather.
So close to Q3. ⏱
Tough to take, but tomorrow is a new day and we can send it into the points. 👊#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/Ij1a2tkhFh— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 8, 2022
They are locked in a tight battle with Alpine for fourth in the standings.
08:47 AM
More from Verstappen on the Norris incident
If you are just a bit more respectful then everyone is lining up... basically by trying to pass me you create that kind of problem.
A "gentleman's agreement" is a big vague, isn't it...?
08:40 AM
Lewis Hamilton speaks to Sky
We were losing a lot of time on the straights but the car was feeling good on the rest of the lap. I think we were losing five or six-tenths on the straights. It depends on the conditions that we have... if it rains I think we didn't look too bad yesterday in the wet conditions. Either way we should be a little bit closer than today.
08:38 AM
Norris speaks to Sky Sports F1 about the Verstappen incident
It was quite clear he tried to do that. There's no rule on what you can do but doing what he did is something you cannot do. People always overtake before the last corner, as much as everyone agrees to it, everyone always does it. He probably would have done the same if he was in my situation, but I wouldn't have swerved at him if I was in his situation.
He also says he thinks Verstappen should expect to get a penalty.
08:29 AM
Verstappen will visit the stewards at 9am BST
Not sure how long the investigation will take. Hopefully within the hour but nothing is guaranteed there. He could face losing his pole position.
08:19 AM
Christian Horner on the Norris/Verstappen incident
There's a gentleman's agreement that when you get to that part of the circuit, you go slowly and then file through the chicane one by one. I don't think he [Verstappen] was trying to block him [Norris] I just don't think he was expecting on an out lap someone [to be there, going fast].
08:18 AM
Carlos Sainz reacts to third place
That's his eighth third-place in qualifying.
It was a very clean lap, a very good lap until the last corner, I picked up quite a bit of wheelspin, probably used a bit too much credit from my tyres in that lap. The last half a tenth tends to fall more towards the other side, hopefully in the rest of the season it falls a bit toward my side.
I think the weather tomorrow is going to play its part, the rain is going to arrive but we don't know whether it's at 2, 3 or 4. We managed to save a set of softs in case we need it. We are in a good position to fight Max tomorrow.
08:14 AM
Watch: The Verstappen/Norris incident
Would have been a big shunt...
😲😲😲 pic.twitter.com/tZn7S88n7Y
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 8, 2022
08:13 AM
Charles Leclerc reacts to another front-row start with Verstappen
It's a very tricky lap around here, whenever you are fast in the first sector you lose out in the last sector... it's so close with everyone so that's nice. We will try to have a good race from there. Very limited amount of data going into the race, that's always a challenge.
The feeling was good with the car. Let's wait and see the conditions. It should be a fun race. It's always nice to be here and see so many people passionate about this sport and being so creative.
08:12 AM
Max Verstappen reacts to his 18th pole position
It was incredible to drive here again, especially in qualifying. Very happy to be on pole but super happy to be back here. I lost a part of the duct in my final lap so that's probably why I couldn't really improve but the first lap was good enough.
[On the Norris incident, which is being investigated]
I was driving quite slowly and I wanted to accelerate but my tyres were quite cold, so I had a big moment, but Lando was trying to pass me at the same time.
It will be interesting to see the weather, we just need to see what happens with that. I am quite confident we have a good car.... excited for tomorrow.
08:04 AM
Q3 - Classification
VER 1:29.304
LEC +0.010
SAI +0.057
PER +0.405
OCO +0.861
HAM +0.957
ALO +1.018
RUS +1.085
VET +1.250
NOR +1.699
08:03 AM
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE FOR THE 2022 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX
Very, very close between the top three there. Just 0.057s in it between the trio. Verstappen got a bit of a tank slapper on at Degner two (or was it turn two...?) and loses some bodywork going over the kerbs. He probably had a bit more time in his pocket.
Ocon fifth, Hamilton sixth, Alonso seventh and Russell eight.
08:01 AM
Q3 - Leclerc is 0.207s up after two sectors!
Sainz is 0.120s up...
Leclerc crosses the finish line but is 0.010s slower than Verstappen... only second.
Sainz is also slower... 0.057s and in third!
Perez fourth, four tenths down.
Verstappen isn't improving but he doesn't need to... that's pole!
08:00 AM
Q3 - Leclerc is 0.033s off Verstappen's time after one sector
There or thereabouts...
Perez is 0.257s off... so I doubt he will be getting pole.
Sainz even closer - just 0.011s in it...
Can Verstappen improve his first sector?
07:59 AM
Q3 - Final runs under way
The incident between Verstappen and Norris will be looked at after the session. Could it be a penalty? Yes. It was a strange incident, and I am not sure if Verstappen really knew what was going on fully.
Seems like that one lap was Vettel's only run in this session. He will probably drop down to ninth or 10th, then.
Two minutes remain.
07:57 AM
Q3 - Top 10 and gaps after first runs
VER 1:29.304
LEC +0.253
SAI +0.398
PER +0.690
ALO +1.018
VET +1.250
RUS +1.653
HAM +1.654
NOR +1.699
OCO +1.812
07:56 AM
Q3 - Vettel goes into sixth
1.250s off Verstappen's time. Ocon and the two Mercedes cars were on used tyres.
07:56 AM
Q3 - Big incident between Verstappen and Norris at 130R
Norris was heading through the fast left-hander to start a lap, I think. Verstappen, I think, seems him coming and puts on the power from a very slow speed, loses the rear and then nearly spears into Norris. Norris has to take evasive action and goes onto the grass.
"F--- mate, unbelievable," the Red Bull driver says on the radio.
Verstappen, on the out lap, then drives past Norris and waves – in apology I believe.
07:54 AM
Q3 - Verstappen onto provisional pole!
He's 0.253s faster than Leclerc.
Hamilton into fifth, for a brief period of time before Russell beats him by 0.001s!
Alonso then goes faster than them both by half a second to go fifth!
07:53 AM
Q3 - Verstappen then beats Sainz's first sector time
Not by much.
Leclerc posts a 1:29.557...
Perez is 0.437s slower than that...
Sainz is 0.145s slower, too...
What about Verstappen?
07:52 AM
Q3 - First flying laps under way
Verstappen still favourite, surely, but by how much? Not a huge amount I reckon.
Ocon with a 31.768 in sector one... Leclerc beats that by half a second... Perez is a couple of tenths slower than Leclerc but then Sainz sets the fastest S1 time, a tenth or so quicker than Leclerc.
07:50 AM
Q3 begins!
10 drivers – one man to claim pole. 12 minutes in which to do it.
07:46 AM
Q2 - I don't think that's actually a terrible effort by Ricciardo
Well, in the context of his horrendous season, anyway. If he is to be in F1 next year it will either be at Haas or Williams. I don't think either of those would be a good choice for him. That said, would a year outside of F1 be?
07:44 AM
Q2 - Top 10 and gaps
PER 1:29.925
ALO +0.418
VER +0.421
OCO +0.432
HAM +0.518
SAI +0.519
RUS +0.540
NOR +0.548
LEC +0.561
VET +0.734
07:43 AM
Q2 - Drivers eliminated
11. RIC
12. BOT
13. TSU
14. ZHO
15. MSC
07:42 AM
Q2 - Norris into fifth, which pushes Russell into the bottom five...
Alonso goes second!
Russell cannot afford a mistake on his lap... but he goes seventh and will progress to Q3, unlike last week.
Ricciardo out! By just 0.004s!
07:41 AM
Q2 - Vettel improving in his bid to get into Q3
Perez with the fastest first sector time...
We await what Norris does. Vettel continues his good lap with a tidy second sector. He crosses the line to go fifth... that should be enough to get him through? But maybe not.
Ocon goes second, but Perez goes fastest of all!
Bottas is 11th and is out, and team-mate Zhou is 12th. They are both out. Mick Schumacher can't get out.
What about Norris?
07:39 AM
Q2 - Two minutes to go
And everyone is back out there except Verstappen, Sainz and Leclerc, who probably have good enough times to make it through into Q3.
07:37 AM
Q2 - Ricciardo definitely with the upper hand of the two McLaren drivers
Norris actually in danger of going out here. Needs to find at least a couple of tenths.
07:35 AM
Q2 - Top 10 and gaps after the first runs
VER
SAI +0.098
LEC +0.140
OCO +0.187
RIC +0.313
HAM +0.332
ALO +0.355
PER +0.356
RUS +0.356
BOT +0.583
Just 0.043 separates Ricciardo in fifth and Russell in ninth.
07:34 AM
Q2 - Drop zone after the first runs
NOR, VET, ZHO, MSC, TSU
Alonso gets a bit sideways in the second Degner corner, which would have lost him a bit of time. Still, team-mate Ocon has set a tasty lap.
07:33 AM
Q2 - Verstappen goes fastest
Not a mega lap, but 0.098s faster than Sainz. Not sure who has done their laps on used soft tyres...
Ocon into fourth, Ricciardo fifth and Hamilton sixth. Again, not very much in it.
07:31 AM
Q2 - Perez begins his first hot lap
It's not a great first sector, at least a couple of tenths down on the Ferraris.
Verstappen, unsurprisingly, is 0.034s faster than Sainz after one sector.
07:30 AM
Q2 - First runs begin
Sainz just a tad up on team-mate Leclerc in the first sector. Leclerc gets some time back in the second sector, though.
Sainz, though, ends up as the fastest Ferrari driver after their first laps – but just 0.042s in it.
07:26 AM
Q2 begins!
15 minutes to go, 10 drivers through and five will go out. Mercedes potentially at risk here? It's very tight, so a mistake could be punished. Potentially risky for plenty.
And just like that, Q2 is go!#JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/wVxarsiYFb
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 8, 2022
07:25 AM
Q1 - Top 15
All these are through.
VER 1:30.224
SAI +0.112
LEC +0.178
ALO +0.379
PER +0.398
OCO +0.472
RUS +0.641
RIC +0.656
NOR +0.657
ZHO +0.670
HAM +0.682
TSU +0.906
MSC +0.928
BOT +1.002
VET +1.032
Very close between Russell in seventh and Hamilton in 11th.
07:21 AM
Q1 ends - Verstappen fastest
Here's who is knocked out:
16. ALB
17. GAS
18. MAG
19. STR
20. LAT
07:21 AM
Q1 - Albon not going to get out of Q1 here
He is miles behind after two sectors and that should help Vettel stay in.
Albon ends up 16th, not that far off Vettel in the end. Gasly had a mare, locking up at the hairpin and he does not make it into Q2.
That's the end of the session. Gasly not happy with his team there.
07:19 AM
Q1 - Final runs under way
Vettel needs to improve to get into Q2... and he does, going 10th. Will that be enough?
Lando Norris on a good lap... he is currently 15th. Bottas into 10th, Zhou, eighth. Schumacher 11th! Magnussen can't get out... only 16th.
Norris completes his lap to go eighth.
What can Albon do in last?
07:17 AM
Q1 - Both Mercedes cars improve
Russell into sixth, 0.641s off Verstappen and Hamilton eighth, 0.682s off the Dutchman.
Currently it is Zhou, Magnussen, Vettel, Latifi and Albon (who had his first hot lap deleted) in the drop zone.
07:15 AM
Q1 - Top 10 and gaps after the first runs
Hamilton back out on the soft tyres. As is Russell.
VER 1:30.224
SAI +0.112
LEC +0.178
ALO +0.379
PER +0.398
RIC +0.656
OCO +0.722
BOT +1.036
GAS +1.098
TSU +1.122
07:13 AM
Q1 - Gasly on the radio
Problem with the brakes. What the ---- is going on?!
He has just gone ninth, ahead of Tsunoda, who had a huge lock-up at the final chicane.
He concurs with Gasly's message.
Ummm, braking is not amazing.
07:12 AM
Q1 - Top 10
VER
SAI
LEC
ALO
PER
RIC
OCO
BOT
NOR
STR
DROP ZONE: MAG, VET, HAM, LAT
Fair to say that that first run on the medium tyres has not worked for Hamilton. Nor Russell, really.
07:10 AM
Q1 - Hamilton and Russell were on medium tyres for some reason
Ricciardo goes fourth, 0.6s faster than Norris in the other McLaren. Interesting. We haven't seen that much this year.
Leclerc pops up into third 0.178s slower than Verstappen.
07:09 AM
Q1 - Verstappen now heads a Red Bull 1-2
Perez briefly went fastest but Verstappen beats his team-mate by just under four tenths. They are the only men in the 1:30s.
Or they were, until Carlos Sainz split them to go second, 0.112s slower than his old team-mate Verstappen.
07:08 AM
Q1 - Norris with the new fastest first sector
What can Mercedes do in response? Hamilton a fair bit slower, but Russell is a bit better than his team-mate.
Norris goes fastest overall with a 1:31.431s.
Hamilton not pulling up any trees with his first lap. He ends up third, but 0.460s down from Norris. Russell beats that but by just under 0.2s...
07:05 AM
Q1 - Gasly crosses the line with a 1:32.049
But Tsunoda beats that by 0.418s, decent start from the young Japanese driver.
07:04 AM
Q1 - Home favourite Tsunoda begins his first hot lap
His time of 32.284s is the fastest first sector of anyone so far... but there are only other two drivers to have set a time in the first sector.
07:02 AM
Q1 - Still quite a bit of work going on on Leclerc's Ferrari
Particularly underneath it. Wouldn't imagine any problems in getting him out in Q1 but not sure how much time he will have exactly. One run is probably enough, in fairness.
07:00 AM
GREEN LIGHT: Q1 begins!
18 minutes to go – 20 drivers in and only 15 will go through to Q2.
06:57 AM
Not long left to go now
Very difficult to look beyond Verstappen and especially on a layout like this. Again, though, Leclerc has been there or thereabouts most of the season in qualifying. Shame he wasn't more so on Sundays.
Predictions? Alonso has been flying recently and has largely been superb in qualifying all year. Would be good to see him sneak into the top six. Ahead of Mercedes? Don't count him out, would be all I am saying.
06:51 AM
Constructor standings
Looks like Red Bull will be winning their first constructors' title since 2013. Last year it was just the drivers'. A bit of a battle for fourth and sixth/seventh at the moment, too.
Red Bull - 576
Ferrari - 439
Mercedes - 373
McLaren - 129
Alpine - 125
Alfa Romeo - 52
Aston Martin - 37
Haas - 34
AlphaTauri - 34
Williams - 6
06:47 AM
Current F1 qualifying head-to-head records
06:40 AM
There has been a lot of talk about the cost cap and potential breaches of it
The results of last year's submissions were due to be revealed on Wednesday this week but that has now been postponed until Monday.
But what is the cost cap all about? And what are the potential implications of any breaches? Earlier this week Gary Anderson, Telegraph Sport columnist and former Jordan and Jaguar technical director, went through it all in depth. Read his piece here.
06:37 AM
So, here's how the grid looks for next year already
Red Bull Racing: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell
McLaren: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
Alpine: Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly
Alfa Romeo: Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Haas: Mick Schumacher, TBC
AlphaTauri: Yuki Tsunoda, Nyck de Vries
Williams: Alexander Albon, TBC
Just two seats – at Haas and Williams – left to fill, then.
06:33 AM
This moment in FP2 was my highlight of the weekend so far
Nicholas Latifi took a wrong turning during FP2 👇 pic.twitter.com/kqJMOQULPw
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 7, 2022
Latifi turning into too early to the chicane and then blaming it on something strange with the car.
06:28 AM
Current driver standings - Top 10
VER - 341
LEC - 237
PER - 235
RUS - 203
SAI - 202
HAM - 170
NOR - 100
OCO - 66
ALO - 59
BOT - 46
06:25 AM
Weather forecast for this weekend
Yesterday was quite damp throughout the day with both practice sessions being run in the wet. There is very little chance of any rain for qualifying – almost none in fact. Tomorrow is a different story, though, with rain predicted in the afternoon. It is currently due to start around a 2pm local time, which is when the race begins...
06:17 AM
Some news in the driver market this morning
Pierre Gasly will join Alpine from AlphaTauri for 2023 with Dutchman Nyck de Vries – who made an excellent debut in Monza last month – taking the vacant seat at AlphaTauri. Good for him. It also makes it an all-French line-up at Alpine, as Gasly partners Ocon.
06:10 AM
Times after final practice
VER 1:30.671
SAI +0.294
LEC +0.309
ALO +0.649
PER +0.843
RUS +0.859
HAM +0.918
NOR +1.076
OCO +1.079
STR +1.167
RIC +1.189
ALB +1.275
BOT +1.300
VET +1.551
MAG +1.619
MSC +1.695
TSU +1.706
ZHO +1.714
LAT +2.197
GAS +2.210
06:01 AM
Good morning F1 fans
And what a very early morning it is for those of you in Europe – the earliest start of the calendar in F1 year. We have not been so used to start times quite this early for a few years, what with the Asian races missing in many of the last couple of years due to Coronavirus complications. Still, whatever the time, how great is it that F1 is back at Suzuka? Very, I would say. The track, for my money, is the best on the calendar (though rivalled these days by Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone and the Circuit of the Americas) and Japan is a place like no other on the calendar.
After a messy and scruffy last weekend in Singapore, the wait continues for Max Verstappen to claim his second championship. It is almost a formality, though I am sure he would rather get it done sooner rather than later, especially for Red Bull in Japan. The engines – although branded Red Bull Power Trains – are in fact Honda power units and before this race weekend it was announced that Honda would deepen their partnership with Red Bull and AlphaTauri, though at the moment that extends to the Honda logo being displayed and a couple of other PR exercises. Still, it seems fair given Honda's involvement and collaboration here.
Anyway, what Verstappen has to do to secure that second drivers' title to is lead the championship by at least 112 points on Sunday evening – either over team-mate Sergio Perez or Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. He currently leads Perez by 106 and Leclerc by 104, so a win would go a long way to getting there. In fact, a win and a fastest lap point guarantees it. In short, though, he has to outscore Perez by six and Leclerc by eight points to take the championship. If Verstappen wins and does not claim the fastest lap point, Leclerc must finish second. If Verstappen wins and Perez finishes second and the Mexican does not claim the fastest lap bonus point then the Dutchman is champion.
What chance does he have? Well, Friday's running was not much use as it was wet. Third practice earlier this morning was dry and Verstappen finished fastest – which is no great surprise. The Red Bull has been the fastest car for most of the season, so he should be there or thereabouts. That said, whilst the forecast for today is dry... it is not the same tomorrow. The likelihood is there will be some rain from the afternoon onwards but at what point in the afternoon we do not know. It could be during the race... it could be after it.
Anyway, qualifying begins in about an hour and I will be here for all of the build-up, latest times and live updates and reaction from it.
