Dutch world champion Red Bull driver Max Verstappen recorded the fastest time in the first and second free trials of the Japanese Grand Prix, the fourth episode of the Formula 1 World Championship, on Friday, while Williams driver Logan Sargent stumbled as his car collided with a tire barrier at the Suzuka Circuit.
Verstappen is seeking to return to the path of victories after his first withdrawal from a race since 2022 in the previous round in Australia two weeks ago.
Today, Verstappen scored one minute and 30.056 seconds in the first round, which was held in dry weather, ahead of his Mexican colleague Sergio Perez by 0.181 seconds.
Verstappen, the champion of the past three seasons, scored 19 victories in the 2023 season, which is a record, including a well-deserved victory in the Japanese race.
“It was a good start for us… but it is clear that the competition is a little stronger than last year,” Verstappen said.
The rain began to fall before the second round, while the teams preferred to have their cars indoors for most of the round to preserve their tires.
British Mercedes driver and former seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in the first round and tried his luck in the second round before deciding to stop due to rain.
Japanese Yuki Tsunoda and his Australian RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo provided some entertainment for the crowd in the stands when they recorded the first two times in the round, but the difference between them and Verstappen’s time in the first round was more than 10 seconds.
Australian McLaren driver Oscar Piastri scored one minute and 34.725 seconds in a late time using soft tires, the fastest time among nine drivers who completed their laps in the last two minutes of the round.
Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, Ferrari driver and Australian race champion in the last round, finished third in the first round, 0.213 seconds behind Verstappen, while his teammate Charles Leclerc, who comes from Monaco, finished sixth, half a second behind first place.
British Mercedes drivers George Russell and Hamilton finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Due to Sargent’s accident, the first round was halted for a long time while Williams team technicians raced against time to prepare the car for Sunday’s race.
Sargent (23 years old) was unable to participate in the Australian race after his more experienced teammate Alex Albon was involved in an accident during testing and his car was damaged.
The team made some repairs to the car, but it arrived in Japan without a spare chassis, so Sargent could miss the race if the team is not able to fully prepare the car before next Sunday’s race.
“Sorry,” Sargent, an American, said over his team’s communications after his car swerved on a curve, then added, “I’m fine.”
