Formula 1 | Japan, EL3: Verstappen and Pérez ahead of Mercedes F1 drivers

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A somewhat unexpected hierarchy before the qualifiers

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After a very unproductive first day, the fault of a red flag in EL1 and the rain in EL2, the F1 drivers were impatient to compete in FP3 of the Japanese Grand Prix this Saturday morning, to prepare for qualifying and the race.

Aston Martin F1 announced that it had compared the performances of the cars of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, who were taking part in upgrades, during the first day. With this confirmation, the team worked through the night and broke a curfew to install them on the Spaniard’s car.

Both cars are on track with the advanced versions from this Saturday. It’s the opposite at Williams, where Logan Sargeant returns to the old specification after his accident. With work still to be done, the drivers took to the track when the light turned green.

Max Verstappen set the first benchmark on medium tires in 1’30″265, ahead of Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc. The three men were immediately beaten by Lewis Hamilton in 1’30″065, with soft tires on the Briton’s Mercedes .

Verstappen then improved to get back to 0″128 behind Hamilton, still on medium tires. We saw Kevin Magnussen enter the hairpin too quickly and start a spin in the gravel, but without consequence.

Charles Leclerc improved to less than half a second, still wearing medium tires. Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou placed themselves just behind the Ferrari drivers, on soft compounds.

Yuki Tsunoda took the eighth fastest time on soft tires, and his teammate Daniel Ricciardo was set the ninth provisional fastest time. Pérez has repeatedly complained about the handling of his Red Bull RB20, particularly in slow corners.

Ricciardo spun in the Esses, losing the rear of his RB VCARB 01 at the exit of the first long curve. An impressive image but not serious for the Australian. Sargeant was worried about not having a good feeling at the rear of the car.

The McLaren F1 drivers took to the track on soft tires, and Lando Norris placed third, 0.134 seconds behind Hamilton, while Oscar Piastri took fourth, 0.295 seconds behind the session leader.

The drivers rode in preparation for the race, testing solutions for long stints, before returning to a performance program at the end of the session. Verstappen set a time of 1’29″563 on soft tires and took the lead of the session despite some dissatisfaction, and Pérez placed second at 0″269.

Russell beat Hamilton, who himself improved slightly, to third, and Alonso moved into fifth, ahead of the McLarens. At the end of the session, the Ferrari drivers attempted a time trial with the soft tyres.

Norris failed to do better than his sixth fastest time, and Sainz inserted himself between the Briton and Piastri. Leclerc did not do better with the tenth time behind Tsunoda. The Red Bull drivers were not worried about the times, but both complained about problems with vibration of the mirrors, which evolved this weekend.

Red Bull therefore signs a double before qualifying, ahead of the astonishing Mercedes, and Alonso, then the McLarens, the Ferraris, and a still formidable Tsunoda. Note that the Alpine drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, are 14th and 17th.

Leclerc was annoyed at the end of the session by a lack of driving during these FP3: “Honestly, what are we doing staying in the garage? We did two laps [rapides], two towers. You have to get started, come on.”.