Max Verstappen Wins the China GP Sprint and Secures Pole for Sunday

Max Verstappen started the day off in record setting fashion securing the team’s 100th pole position. 37 having been claimed by the Dutchman, as well as 44 by Sebastian Vettel, 13 by Mark Webber, 3 by Perez and 3 by Daniel Ricciardo. Behind Verstappen was his teammate Sergio Perez in P2 and Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso. Commenting on th session, Verstappen said: “Before I jumped in the car Christian [Horner, Red Bull team boss] told me if you get pole today it could be number 100 for the team, so I was like, ‘Okay, that’s nice, I’ll try and give it a good go’.

Of course that’s an incredible achievement for the whole team. Also a big contribution from Seb back in the day! But it’s fantastic also to have the one-two in qualifying, it showed that the car is again working really well. From my side it’s been a really good start to the year and I feel probably very confident in qualifying, even compared to last year. It’s just a shame of course that we retired in Melbourne otherwise I think we could have had already a very strong lead, but overall it’s still a great start.”

Hamilton Surges to the P2 in Sprint but Drops in Q1

Lewis Hamilton seemingly found the pace he needed to bring it to Verstappen this weekend. Despite falling short after the sprint Hamilton looked as though he’d be competing at the front. Unfortunately come qualifying for the grand prix Hamilton made a surprise Q1 exit. After making a mistake in the hairpin during the first session Hamilton finished in P18. His work will be cut out for him on Sunday if he is to compete for a top 5 finish.

Hamilton was disappointed with the session, “To be sat on the front-row for the Sprint was a great feeling,” he said. Racing into turn one and taking the lead reminded me of what I love so much about this sport! It was a challenging race but to get second was great. 

We knew Qualifying would be much more tough this afternoon though. I made some sizeable set-up changes after the Sprint to try and improve the car in the slow speed turns. It wasn’t too bad in some corners, but I struggled elsewhere. It was challenging to get the rear tires to stop into turn 14 and that’s where I locked up on my final lap. If I hadn’t had that, I would have made it through to Q2. I’ll be giving it my best shot tomorrow. We can still have some fun even if we are starting from P18.“

Aston Martin Bounces Back

When asked about his disappointing finish in the sprint race Alonso stated, “Yeah. I mean, I don’t know how far [ahead] Checo is. But yeah, Sector 1, I had a moment in Turn 1 and 2, I nearly lost the car. And then I said, ‘Okay, I keep going or I abort the lap?’, you know, because I lost like two tenths in two corners. But yeah, we didn’t give up. We kept pushing all through the lap. Yeah, we said a good lap time. I think the car did improve since this morning. We made a few set-up changes. Let’s see tomorrow if we can translate that into points.”

Of note Oscar Piastri had a slight off but was able to recover and made it to Q3 finishing P5 with teammate Lando Norris starting ahead in P4.

Grand Prix Qualifying Results

Sprint Race Results

Lando Norris showed the true pace of his McLaren in the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying session this afternoon. In recent unfamiliar fashion Norris was able to beat out Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen in the session to claim pole position for the Sprint Race that is set to take place later today.

Norris said, “I was quite happy with how it was in the dry, I think we’ve had good pace all weekend so far. I got a bit nervous. They’re conditions where you’ve just got to risk a lot, you’ve got to push, build tyre temperature and so forth.

I was quick, I just kept catching a Ferrari, so I had to keep backing off. I didn’t do the first two laps well at all, but I got a good final one, a good enough one for pole. I’m happy… sad it’s not for a proper qualifying, but it’s good enough.

Norris Continued On Bouncing Back From Mistakes

“You only have three laps. The first two I aborted on both, so I was like, ‘The last lap is all or nothing’. But it was getting wetter and wetter, so actually the conditions for the final two laps were a lot worse than the second lap.

I was a little bit nervous that I’d made a few mistakes, started to aquaplane quite a bit, but it’s good fun – it gets your heart going. Getting up on top is exactly what we wanted, so a nice surprise and a good position for tomorrow.”

Hamilton Surges Forward

Lewis Hamilton turned heads in China when he finished second fastest on the grid for Sprint qualifying. Mercedes has struggled to find pace in the last few rounds of the Formula 1 season. However, in rainy conditions its anyone’s game and the car speed advantages of the teams currently ahead of Mercedes in Performance start to count for nothing. “It was very tricky conditions out there,” he said. As you could see, there was not a lot of grip out there for anyone. As soon as I saw the rain coming though, I was getting very excited. Our pace in the dry didn’t look quite quick enough to challenge at the very front, so the wet weather gave us more of an opportunity. That’s when it all came alive.

We will have to wait and see what the conditions are tomorrow. We have a lot of fast cars starting behind us, but we will see what we can do to keep them behind us.

Sprint Race Qualifying Results

The time has finally arrived for F1 fans alike to return to the Chinese Grand Prix. After a 5 year hiatus due to safety precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic F1 finally returns. The race weekend will follow the sprint race format as follows.

Friday April 19th, 2024

Saturday April 20th 2024

Sunday April 21st 2024

As Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Chinese Grand Prix Daniel Ricciardo seemingly has one last opportunity to prove he is the man for the job at RB. Formula 1 heads to China for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic. After its 5 year hiatus, its difficult to determine where the teams stand at this circuit. with the changes to the cars since 2019 practice and qualifying session will be of the utmost importance. Qualifying is one area Ricciardo has struggled thus far this season. With his teammate out performing him on every occasion thus far in 2024. Ricciardo needs to find redemption before a decision to axe him is made. His teammate Tsunoda has made stride for the RB side having already scored points this season.

Ricciardo Comments on the Upcoming Weekend

Daniel Ricciardo #3: “Really looking forward to getting back to Shanghai. It’s been five years since we raced there, so selfishly I want to get back on track at a circuit I enjoy, but I’m also sure the Chinese fans can’t wait to see F1 again – Zhou mentioned that it’s sold out so the atmosphere will be great.  Our first Sprint Weekend brings some challenges but also opportunity, I’m just ready to get back in the car!”

Team Racing Director Alan Permane also offered his comments on the upcoming weekend. “Visa Cash App RB are excited for Formula One to return to Shanghai for the first time since 2019 and will be looking to build on our recent good form. This weekend will present a unique challenge, the first time we have visited with this generation of cars but also a Sprint weekend and Yuki’s first time in Shanghai. We will need to hit the ground running in Free Practice 1, with only one hour of running before the Sprint Qualifying session. Both drivers have spent time in our simulator preparing, and are ready for the weekend.”

While no official decision has been made on Ricciardo Red Bull is keeping a watchful eye on the Australian because without points you can’t compete for championships and Ricciardo current has none. Ricciardo stated that he believes he can still win races but his talking needs to translate to the track if he is going to keep his seat.

Action gets start with the first practice session of the weekend in a few hours time.

Aston Martin has made the decision to re-sign Fernando Alonso to a remain with the team until 2026. Its clear Alonso feels he has unfinished business and can still compete at the top level of racing in the world. Alonso had previously found himself without a contract beyond the end of this season. However, time and time again he has shown that he is still a top 5 driver on the grid in his 20th season in Formula 1.

The in house dilemma for Aston Martin is whether Lance Stroll, team owner Lawrence Stroll’s son, should still retain his seat. It’s no surprise that a former champion like Alonso has out performed Lance Stroll. However, in terms of the future of the team Aston Martin needs to start asking whether Lance Stroll is still a positive investment. With Aston martin emerging as a title contender in 2023 and making a run for the same finish in 2024. Question will be raised as to whether Stroll is the right man for the job. Its no secret that he has his current seat because of his fathers purchase of the team. That is not to say that he doesn’t deserve to be in Formula 1.

Stroll has shown moments of brilliance during his tenure in Formula 1. However, Stroll has only secured two podiums in his 8 year tenure in Formula 1. His top finish came last year where he placed 10th. Unfortunately 10th place isn’t enough to content for a world title in the constructors. Lawrence Stroll has made it clear that he has a dream to win championships but he may need to look elsewhere for talent if that is to become a reality. Currently Lance Stroll sits 10th in the championship after four races. It may be time for Aston Martin to reassess their situation.

Does Lance Stroll have what it takes to become a top level driver in Formula 1? Possibly but in his 8th season his progress has not bee than reminiscent of a future champion. If Aston can turn things around maybe the discussion will be different int he second half of the season.

As the rumor mill continues to fly regarding moves in the Red Bull Racing camp its clear that your reigninF1 champion Max Verstappen is unbothered by the whole thing. His focus is and always has been on winning races. Given the recent off track distractions at Red Bull, Verstappen has not allowed it to affect his winning ways. The one race he didn’t win this year was a result of a DNF due to a brake failure. Verstappen stated, “I actually don’t worry about it. Because in the end, whoever is next to me, ultimately, at the end of the year he must finish behind me in the championship anyway.”

Verstappen clearly doesn’t have a preference as to who races beside him. In the past he has hinted at Lando Norris joining the Red Bull side but given that Norris has extended his contract with McLaren. Hamilton was briefly coined as a replacement for Sergio Perez but them Hamilton signed with Ferrari. With that move the next driver who has come up as a prospect is Carlos Sainz but given Sergio Perez’s performance thus far in 2024 and his P2 finish in 2023. It is a hard decision to make to break up the team when you have the two best drivers on the grid.

Carlos Sainz Rumored to be Headed to Mercedes

There are whispers in the F1 paddock regarding Mercedes making a bid for Carlos Sainz. Sainz is seemingly the most sought after driver. One thing is certain, Sainz will have to make a decision on his future quickly. Audi have given him an ultimatum to decide. Time is against him and the season is still young.

Max Verstappen bounced back from his DNF in Australia to secure the win in the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen lead another Red Bull 1-2 with Sergio Perez securing P2 and Australia’s winner Carlos Sainz finished third. The Red Bulls still appear to have an advantage having won 3 of the 4 races this year with 1-2 finishes. However the story here is based on Sainz and his second podium in a row after it was announced he would be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari next year. In the short term it seems as though the decision to axe Sainz has proven to be a mistake. To add insult to injury, Sainz secured third after passing his teammate Charles Leclerc which will leave Ferrari questioning their decision.

Sainz commented, as quoted by Sky Sports F1, “I had a good race. I’m very happy because it was quite tough out there with the degradation but then the clouds came and the degradation went a lot lower and I thought one-stop was quicker and we were on the two.

I had to overtake a lot of cars out there. Overtaking was tricky, like always at Suzuka, you need to nail the last chicane to get a good run into Turn One. I could finish my moves but it was tough out there.”

Red Bull Racing Has Avoided Destabilization

Despite the off track distractions faced at Red Bull Racing; the team has maintained their level of success from the conclusion of the 2023 Formula One season. Having won 3 of 4 races this far while facing the adversity the team has faced in the media is feat in itself. Red Bull has been the center of an ongoing investigation regarding team principal Christian Horner and another employee. Horner was cleared of any wrong doing. However, the rumor mill has been flying with reports of key personnel leaving the team and a potential move for Verstappen. Verstappen is rumored to have been offered a contract with Mercedes.

Given the current performance of the Red Bull, it is a tough sell for the defending world champion to leave the winning side for a lower performing competitor. Thus far Verstappen has made no indication that he will be leaving Red Bull. The team appears to be working as normal as they maintain their dominance with a 21 point lead over Ferrari in the constructor’s championship.

Ferrari Settle for 3rd and 4th

Carlos Sainz showed he had the lead team pace today in Japan after passing Ferrari teammate Leclerc on lap 46 of the 53 lap race and wouldn’t look back finishing almost 6 seconds behind. Ferrari did what it needed to today and that was defend against the McLarens and Aston Martins which showed early season success. With back to back double point finishes for Ferrari and 3 podiums in the lap 2 races it seems that Ferrari may have turned things around.

Tsunoda Scores Points, Ricciardo Crashes Out

Yuki Tsunoda had a brilliant performance in front of his home crowd. Tsunoda scored 1 point for RB after finishing P10 in the race. His teammate Daniel Ricciardo crashed out of the race on lap 1 of the race after an incident with the Williams car of Alex Albon. Both drivers retired from the race due tot the incident. Unfortunately for Ricciardo he was out of the race before it started.

It was rumored that Ricciardo needs to improve his performance starting in Australia and then Japan if he wants to retain his seat at RB. On both occasions Ricciardo was out qualified and out finished which raises questions as to whether his future at RB is disappearing. Liam Lawson stays poised for an opportunity to get back on the Formula one grid. With Ricciardo’s shortcomings continuing it will be a difficult but necessary decision to remove him if things don’t turn around soon.

Full Formula One Japanese Grand Prix Results

After a disastrous Australian Grand Prix Red Bull Racing has bounced back in Japan at Suzuka this weekend. Max Verstappen lead FP1 FP3 and qualifying topping the tables for most of the weekend. Qualifying occurred in dry conditions despite rain earlier in the weekend during FP2. The Red Bulls never really looked threatened at the front but as you move down the pecking order the mix got more interesting.

Tsunoda Out-Qualifies Ricciardo Again

Yuki Tsunoda outperformed his teammate Daniel Ricciardo yet again knocking Ricciardo out of Q2 by less than a tenth of a second. Tsunoda made it to Q3 in front of his home crowd in Japan but ended up slowest in the final session of qualifying and will start P10 in tomorrows race. Ricciardo still doesn’t have an answer to his teammate’s recent success. He said, “I have mixed emotions today. There’s a bit of frustration but it’s also encouraging to be so close to Q3 after a tricky start to the year. Considering that yesterday I had only a few laps, and they were in damp conditions, today’s qualifying was a good session as we were very close to making it inside the top 10. I drove some laps this morning in FP3 and then worked hard to find those few tenths for quali.

I’m pleased for us to be pretty much there, but it’s not Q3. It’s just frustrating to be knocked out by just half a tenth as it would have been nice to give it to the guys today. After yesterday, we certainly see some positives that are encouraging. For tomorrow, the race pace has been alright, and I’ll start on the clean side of the grid. I really think points are possible, so I’ll aim to be in the top 10 in Lap 1 as well as in Lap 53.”

Tsunoda had a different tone. He commented on Q3, “I felt a little pressure coming into this weekend after our strong performance in Australia,” he said. “But I’d say it’s good pressure and I’m very happy I was able to get into Q3 in front of my family, friends and home crowd.”

Mercedes Misses Out on Top Five Again

The Mercedes side has seen its fair share of struggles in the 2023 and 2022 seasons. Early this season it seemed as though the team figured out their shortcomings. However, after today’s qualifying results Lewis Hamilton will started P7 and George Russell at P9.

Hamilton commented, Qualifying was generally a really good session. I think we’ve made some good improvements to the car and its balance so far this weekend. I was overall much happier in the car than I have been this year, although there are clear areas of improvement. We have taken steps in the right direction though. When we raced here just six months ago, we were over one second adrift and we’ve closed that gap to the front a little, and to our nearest competitors. Of course I was hoping for more and we are never going to be happy with P7, but we know our car is a work in progress.
 
Tomorrow’s race will be all about tire degradation. Our long run pace looked similar to others on Friday, so we will see if that is the case on Sunday. I think it will be very close tomorrow so I hope we can maximize all the various factors and take home some good points.”

Lando Norris secured P3 with his teammate finishing Q3 P6.

Full Qualifying Results from Suzuka

Carlos Sainz has been the subject of chatter in the transfer market as he is still without a seat for the 2025 season. Sainz’s contract with Ferrari ends at the conclusion of the 2024 season. After coming off of a race win Sainz has shown his doubters that he still has what it takes to win in Formula 1. However, he is still unemployed. One potential move for Sainz would be to join Audi who will be new comers to the current era of Formula 1 and hold uncertainty for the driver.

Audi Joining F1 in 2026

Talks with Audi began last year when it was announced they would be acquiring Sauber at the start of the new technical regulations in 2026. However, Sainz at 32 years of age has much to consider in terms of the future of his career. One one arm he had been offered a seat with Audi that now comes with a two week ultimatum to accept or he can risk the seat and potentially be picked up by one of the other teams on the grid who have vacancies.

The most likely appear to be Red Bull Racing, Mercedes and Aston Martin. Sainz isn’t interested in the money as a motivator per se. He wants to drive a competitive car that can take the fight to the Ferraris and the rest of the “Top 4” who seem to be finally headed in the right direction. With limited time left in his career; his decision has to be strategic. A tenure such as Fernando Alonso’s 20 year run is not typical in F1. Given where Sainz is in his career compared to where Alonso was at this point Sainz needs to make a splash if he wants to stay on the grid.

Now that Sainz is on the clock with Audi a potential move elsewhere will require swift action by the parties interested in him. If such a move is to be made we would expect to hear about it within the week. We will update this story as more develops.

Despite all of the off track drama in the Red Bull camp. Christian Horner’s words, “Its business as usual” seem to be holding true in the Milton Keynes based team. Verstappen and Checo have both shown a determination to remain at the top of the grid in 2024 after finishing 1-2 in the first two races of the season. Both driver had a poor outing for race three in Australia and its clear they are eager to get back on track in Japan this weekend.

Verstappen Commented on His Race In Australia

“I think we saw already some signs on Saturday where things were maybe not looking like they should have done,” the world champion commented. “Of course, now in hindsight you can say it was coming from the brake caliper. But we couldn’t find any, let’s say, fault with the car which, in a way, it’s of course always bad to retire but when you have a fault, it may be the build spec or whatever, then it’s a bit worse. We’ll just move on from there and learn from it, [hope] that it doesn’t happen again but normally it shouldn’t.”

“Every year is different,” said Verstappen. “Last year we had a bit of a difficult weekend in Singapore. I think, if you look at Melbourne performance-wise, we were quick but we didn’t finish the race, so that’s not ideal. But our car normally likes the higher-speed corners, so hopefully we can show that again this weekend.”

Logan Sargeant Bring out Red Flag

After missing out on the Australian Grand Prix due to a logistical mistake made by Williams F1 Team. Sargeant was looking towards Japanese Grand prix weekend as an opportunity to shine. That however didn’t happen right out of the gate in the first session of the weekend. Sargeant crashed on a hot lap in turn 7 impacting the barriers. The damage seems to be limited to the front wing so we will see if the mechanics can get the car turned around for FP2.

Full FP1 Japanese Grand Prix Results