Carlos Sainz will start sixth and Fernando Alonso, tenth
MADRID, 23 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has achieved pole position for Sunday’s race at the Japanese Grand Prix, the seventeenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, after dominating the qualifying session at the Suzuka International Circuit, where the Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) have guaranteed themselves a sixth and tenth position, respectively, for the start.
After disappointing in Singapore, the current world champion returned to his place to set the best time of the day on the Japanese track, where he was the only one able to go below 1:29 (1:28.877). Thus, he was more than half a second ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who will start second and third respectively.
Meanwhile, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was able to surpass the other Red Bull in the running, that of the Mexican Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez, to be fourth, while the Madrid-born Carlos Sainz, poleman and winner in Singapore, could only be sixth; The two ‘Scuderia’ cars only had one attempt in the final Q3 as they only had one soft tyre.
For its part, Mercedes will have to start the test from the fourth row of the grid, with Lewis Hamilton, second last week, starting seventh and George Russell, who crashed into the wall in the Asian event on the last lap when he was in positions on the podium, he will start eighth.
The Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) will start in ninth position, just ahead of the Asturian Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), who took another step back with his car and is holding on to the good degradation of his tires to try to make up positions this year. Sunday in Suzuka.