Yahoo Autos 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?
