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Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying
Saturday's practice and qualifying for F1's Japanese Grand Prix
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A week after Singapore, Suzuka also returns to the calendar following a three-year absence, where Max Verstappen can claim a second F1 world title if he is 112 points clear of second place in the standings at the chequered flag.
Sergio Perez won last time out at Singapore, after a faultless drive helped him stave off the intermittent threats of Charles Leclerc.
Suzuka's last race was held in 2019, and was won by Valtteri Bottas - who beat Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton to victory.
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The Mercedes duo are out on softs, doing some "proper" laps now. Hamilton goes up to P3 with a 1m33.254s, before Russell goes P2 with a 1m32.998s. Bottas also joined his former team in hotlappery, going P5.
Latifi reports that the "wind sensitivity is the highest it's been all season". The flags in the stands are flapping about like a Kevin Magnussen endplate out there.
Albon's the only other car on track (until Ricciardo pokes out of the pits), and is about a tenth faster than Verstappen on the previous lap - the Williams is on mediums.
The Ferraris have pitted now, but "on par" meant "in the high 1m36s". Verstappen's now into the 1m37.5s. Perez is in the 1m37.7s for comparison having begun his own long runs on the softs.
Verstappen's first lap in race-sim land is on pace with the Ferraris. Sainz has a little dig at Leclerc ahead of him, offering a sarcastic thank you as they leave the Casio Triangle (is it still called that).
No real improvements at the moment as the drivers seem to have either pitted or picked up long-runs. Verstappen's back out, definitely doing some race sims on the soft.
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"Yeah, **** Alonso doesn't know how to move," Tsunoda complains. Perhaps Fernando will issue a come-and-get-me plea to the Spanish version of Strictly to prove the AlphaTauri driver wrong.
"Wind gusts look to be aligning with some of the snaps we're having," Hamilton is told. The W13's weakness appears to be flying-type Pokemon...
The Red Bulls are in the pits as everyone else continues to get track time. It's almost like a "we're on top again, you lot try to beat us" gauntlet throwdown.
All sorts of run-plans going on in this session so far, it's basically condensing three hours of running into one. Leclerc is close to condensing it into 10 minutes with a big slide out of Degner 2.
Latifi goes too deep into the final chicane, continuing his "love affair" with that corner.
Stopwatch
But then there's Norris with a 1m34.246s, before Perez posts a 1m33.236s and Verstappen comes in with a 1m32.050s. So much for that shake-up, then.
Stopwatch
Russell opens with a lap in the 1m37s, but Sainz then does a 1m35.491s to set the first benchmark.
A whole mix of tyre types out there, as this is the first dry running of the weekend. So it promises a proper shake-up, particularly without any dry track data since 2019...
And it's our FP2 headline act George Russell who's first out, followed by Sainz and new Alpine recruit Gasly. And a whole host of others.
Green flag
And there's the green flag - let's get going!
Five minutes to FP3, then. It should be an altogether drier prospect today, so let's see who can make the cars dance through the Degners.
Breaking news
News, the second: 2020-21 Formula E champion Nyck de Vries has joined AlphaTauri for 2023 in place of Gasly. Look after him, F1.
News, the first: Pierre Gasly has joined Alpine for 2023 on a multi-year deal. He'll partner Esteban Ocon in an all-French line-up. You and he were...buddies, weren't you?
20 minutes until FP3 at Suzuka kicks off - but there's been some big news in case you've missed it. Let's take a look at what's happened already this morning...
Good...whatever time of day this is. Morning? Night-time? That bit of Saturday where everyone's asleep except the most dedicated? Yes! If you're on, thank you for joining us!
By: autosport.com
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