Japanese Grand Prix race - F1: Live timing and lap-by-lap updates as Max Verstappen looks to convert pole position into a race win

7 months ago 48

By Kieran Lynch

Published: 05:05 BST, 7 April 2024 | Updated: 05:55 BST, 7 April 2024

Less than 10 minutes to go

Sergio Perez (pictured below) will be looking to get the jump on his team-mate at the start. It has been around a year since he last finished on the top step of the podium.

The drivers are now getting into their cars following the Japanese national anthem and it's not long before we get underway.

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 7, 2024 Red Bull's Sergio Perez ahead of the race REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 7, 2024 Performers are seen ahead of the race REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Ferrari wary of Fernando Alonso

Ferrari team-principal Fred Vasseur has some concern over Fernando Alonso, who starts just behind Carlos Sainz - the race-winner in Australia.

He has told Sky Sports;

It will be important to have a decent start and to also protect from Fernando who has a set of softs.

But then I think the degradation will be important - it's much hotter than it was yesterday morning. Yesterday the deg was under control for us but it will be another game today with track temperature. Let's see, it could be a good one.

It makes sense at the start [for Alonso] as you can make a position, but we'll see.'

Drivers arriving onto the grid

We are less than 15 minutes to go until lights out, what are your predictions?

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 7, 2024 Haas' Nico Hulkenberg ahead of the race REUTERS/Androniki Christodoulou

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 7, 2024 Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of the race REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 7, 2024 Fans in the stands ahead of the race REUTERS/Issei Kato

Drivers with something to prove

There are a number of drivers you feel are in need of a big performance today.

Lance Stroll qualified all the way down in 16th compared to his team-mate Fernando Alonso in 5th. The Canadian whose father runs the Aston Martin team continues to struggle to keep up with his 42-year-old team-mate and needs to show much better pace today.

Also Daniel Ricciardo has had a tough start to the season. He was close to his team-mate Tsunoda in qualifying but is yet to score a point this season.

Also Lewis Hamilton in P7, Charles Leclerc in P8 and Lewis Hamilton in P9 - not the best of Saturdays for them but watch out for those three trying to get get through the field this morning.

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB prepares to drive on the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on April 07, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

Mercedes hoping for big improvement

It has been a horrendous start to the season for Mercedes, so much so, that team principal Toto Wolff had to cancel his planned break off to travel with the team for this weekend's race.

Lewis Hamilton is suffering his worst ever start to a season with just eight points to his name, while George Russell has 18 - but crashed last time out in Australia while chasing Fernando Alonso.

Both drivers have said that the car is handling much better this weekend and seem to be optimistic that they have made progress.

P7 and P9 in qualifying doesn't truly reflect that, though Lewis Hamilton was just five tenths off Verstappen compared to 1.1 seconds last year in Japan.

Question today is do they have the pace to beat the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and even the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain arrives to participate the driver's track parade prior to the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Can Lando Norris finally break his duck?

A fortnight ago in Melbourne, the Brit became the unfortunate holder of a dubious honour, that being the driver with the most podium finishes without a single race win to their name.

It is going to be a big ask to stop Verstappen and Red Bull, but the McLaren star is dreaming of a first victory.

Click below to read more...

Drivers' parade

The atmosphere is building at Suzuka and the drivers have already been around the circuit to be introduced to the fans ahead of the race.

Max Verstappen looks calm and composed. Things didn't exactly work out for him last time in Australia when he suffered a DNF due to a brake issue.

He will be determined to extend what is a four-point advantage over Charles Leclerc, with victory in Japan today.

And what about Yuki Tsunoda, the only Japanese driver on the grid, who qualified an impressive 10th in his AlphaTauri.

He has comfortably had the better of experienced team-mate Daniel Ricciardo so far this season and he would love some big points today.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on April 07, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, right, andAston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain, left, walk to attend the driver's track parade prior to the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain walks to participate the driver's track parade prior to the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

RB's Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda waves as he takes part in the drivers' parade before the start of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix race at the Suzuka circuit in Suzuka, Mie prefecture on April 7, 2024. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP) (Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)

Max Verstappen starts on pole

As the off-track drama continues at Red Bull, on track they continue to look the dominant force, as shown by qualifying for today's race.

Max Verstappen made it four poles in as many races, though team-mate Sergio Perez - who hadn't been on the front row for the last 20 races - was incredibly close to pipping his team-mate.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell feel better about their Mercedes challenger this weekend, though it didn't exactly show in terms of their placing on the grid for today's race.

Meanwhile, it was Lando Norris who was best of the rest, to finish ahead of the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes and his team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Click below for our full report of qualifying yesterday

Good morning!

And welcome to Mail Sport's live blog for the Japanese Grand Prix!

Thank you to all of you who have joined me bright and early for what hopefully should be a cracking race to get Sunday underway!

We are just under an hour away from lights out and we will be bringing you all the build-up to the race and the lap-by-lap updates from the race at the iconic Suzuka circuit.

Ferrari managed to stop Red Bull last time out in Australia, can anyone do the same today?

Kick Sauber's Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas (top L) chats with Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton (top R) as they take part in the drivers' parade before the start of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix race at the Suzuka circuit in Suzuka, Mie prefecture on April 7, 2024. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP) (Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)