Max Verstappen once found Japan’s Suzuka circuit daunting due to its high-speed corners and narrow layout when he first drove a Formula 1 car there.
However, now he sees it as a perfect place to bounce back. In the previous F1 race in Australia, he had to retire early due to a fire in his car’s brakes, ending his winning streak. Verstappen believes his car performs well on tracks with fast corners like Suzuka. He hopes to showcase this performance in the upcoming race.
During Friday’s practice, he topped the charts. Although rain is forecasted for Sunday, Verstappen remains optimistic about his chances. Last year, he won the race in Suzuka, and this year’s earlier timing coincides with Japan’s cherry blossom season.
Regarding his future with Red Bull amidst rumors of a move to Mercedes, Verstappen emphasized his contentment with his current team. Carlos Sainz from Ferrari acknowledged the challenge of closing the gap with Red Bull, especially considering their strong performance in Suzuka.
Sainz, who will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari next season, is recovering well after missing a race due to appendicitis. Hamilton faced engine failure in Australia, and Mercedes teammate George Russell had a crash, indicating a tough race ahead for Mercedes at Suzuka.
“I think we can see a pattern, where we know what we’re good at and what we need to work on,” Russell said. “We’re better at slower turns but struggle more with faster ones, like in Jeddah, Melbourne, and Suzuka.”
Ayumu Iwasa, a Japanese driver, participated in the RB team’s first practice session, aiming for a full-time position in the future. Japanese drivers haven’t had much success in F1, although Takuma Sato won the Indy 500 twice after facing challenges in F1.
Logan Sargeant, F1’s only American driver, crashed during Friday’s practice session. Since his team, Williams doesn’t have an extra car, they might only run one car on Sunday, driven by Alex Albon.
“The damage is quite significant,” said Williams team principal James Vowles. “Although the chassis is fine, most other parts are damaged, including the suspension and gearbox.” Williams hopes to have the car ready for Saturday’s practice.
Sargeant was withdrawn from the Australia GP two weeks ago. His teammate, Albon, crashed during practice, and since there was no spare car, Albon had to drive Sargeant’s car in the race. Vowles mentioned that Sargeant seemed mentally prepared on Friday.
“He was in a good state of mind this week and last night,” Vowles said. “He just wanted to get back on track, not necessarily to prove himself to the world.”
