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Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying
Saturday's action from the 16th round of the 2023 Formula 1 season
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Max Verstappen was utterly dominant on Friday at Suzuka, topping both sessions as Red Bull hunts its sixth constructors' title.
Behind the Dutchman, there was little to separate Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, while Mercedes has yet to show its Singapore pace that had the team in race-winning contention just one week ago.
With AlphaTauri confirming its 2024 driver line-up on Saturday morning and Liam Lawson confirmed back in a reserve role, the New Zealander may feel he has a point to prove in Japan.
Japanese GP final practice starts at 3:30am BST, followed by qualifying at 7:00am BST.
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Alfa Romeo have so far shown well, with Bottas P10 and Zhou P11, putting the team firmly in contention for Q3 later on this morning.
At the foot of the table, Williams, Alpine and Stroll look to be struggling for pace, with Gasly 1.9s off the pace in P20.
This sets up an intriguing battle for qualifying, with Verstappen still the clear favourite but with the Ferrari and McLaren pairings breathing down his neck.
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An update from Mercedes on the problem that has kept Russell in the garage in the closing stages.
"A damaged right rear wheel shield for GR. Needs repairing and is a lengthy job."
A long job, but not a threat to his participation in qualifying.
"A damaged right rear wheel shield for GR. Needs repairing and is a lengthy job."
A long job, but not a threat to his participation in qualifying.
Checkered flag
The chequered flag has flown and FP3 is - almost - over, with Verstappen fastest from Norris and Piastri.
With two minutes to go, drivers are taking to the track on used tyres for a final tour and also to complete a practice start from the grid, something they were unable to do in FP2 after Gasly's session-ending crash.
A moment between Tsunoda and Magnussen, as the latter is caught napping on a slow lap. Tsunoda reacts angrily as his effort is ruined.
Perez completes his final meaningful effort and is 0.7s off the pace.
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The Ferrari pair both improve with Leclerc P4 and Sainz P5, but they are seven-tenths off the top spot and half-a-second off either McLaren driver.
0.5s down for Sainz in sector one, and roughly the same for Leclerc.
Ferrari had pace to match and better McLaren on Friday, and we're about to find out where Sainz and Leclerc stack up now. They are running significantly later than the rest so will have the best track conditions.
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Sector two is a session-best, and Verstappen carries the advantage to go back to the top, 0.240s clear of Norris with a 1m30.267s.
Here comes Verstappen - but he's unable to best Norris through sector one!
Verstappen has left the garage. Will he have an answer for McLaren?
With 12 minutes remaining, these will likely be the final soft tyre runs with fresh rubber.
Highlighting the track evolution, Alonso goes fourth fastest but he is over one second off the pace of Norris and only 0.1s clear of Zhou.
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And Norris makes it a McLaren one-two, besting his team-mate by 0.048s with a 1m30.507s. Game one!
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To the top for Piastri - his 1m30.555s putting him 0.405s clear of Verstappen. Norris is now on another lap of his own.
Piastri is on a flyer here, with purple micro-sectors flashing up!
If this was Q1, Bottas, Tsunoda, Gasly, Lawson and Stroll would be out. However, Stroll's time was set on hards and the AlphaTauri duo have only run mediums. Clear as mud!
With 24 minutes remaining, only Leclerc and Sainz remain on the track, with the rest having headed back to the garage.
Four-tenths down on his previous best and 1.1s off Verstappen... Perez's effort was hindered by an error at the final chicane and was on used tyres, but that will not have built confidence.
After a disappointing first run that left him in P6 and 0.8 off the pace, Perez is going again. But 0.3 down in sector one...not a great start.
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Using the same tyres again, Hamilton falls half-a-second short of his previous best on this latest effort.
Albon had a brake change overnight and has reported a strange feeling like they were "flat-spotted" straight away.
Into the top 10 for Albon as he splits the Haas pair. Despite showing purple micro-sectors, Sargeant is also only P14. But with the midfield separated by fractions, don't rule Williams out of Q3 just yet.
Alonso's effort was hindered significantly by an off-track moment at Degner 2, when he skated across the top of the kerbs.
P11 for Alonso and 1.2s off the pace. Finally, with 37 minutes remaining, here comes Albon and Sargeant.
Another effort for Leclerc, as he jumps back ahead of the Mercedes duo into P3. Sainz is on another timed lap, but is not improving.
Alonso is on a timed effort now, leaving the two Williams drivers as the only men yet to show their hand.
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A new name at the top, as Verstappen topples Norris with a trio of purple sectors. He goes 0.214s faster than the McLaren driver, with a 1m30.960s.
Time for a brief bit of tyre talk, Stroll's early hard run and the medium runs of the AlphaTauri drivers means the trio all have only one fresh hard and one fresh medium for the race. With high degradation, that is an interesting strategy.
Perez's struggles have continued again, dropping into fourth, as Verstappen begins his effort.
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After a quiet Friday, Mercedes have landed! Hamilton goes P2, just ahead of team-mate Russell. But still, the former is 0.596s off pace-setter Norris!
Hulkenberg also highlights the Haas pace, dropping in behind his team-mate.
Magnussen again shows the impressive single-lap pace of the Haas, setting a time that neither Alpine driver can match.
Here come the times though!
By: Autosport Staff
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