F1 Japanese GP live commentary and updates – Qualifying

Welcome

Well hello! One of the year's most exciting Formula 1 sessions is coming up. Qualifying at Japan's mighty Suzuka circuit. Few race tracks are as revered as this one, and for good reason. The Esses, Degner, Spoon, 130R; a real rollercoster ride for F1 cars on the limit.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Off the back of wins in Australia and China McLaren headed to Suzuka as the pre-race favourite and practice has done little to dampen expectations at the papaya squad. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have led every session, with Mercedes man George Russell the closest chaser in this morning's FP3 session.

What can Ferrari and Red Bull do? Ferrari has looked quick at times but Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have not always able to extract that pace from the SF-25.

Max Verstappen has not been happy with the handling of his Red Bull again, and it's a real baptism of fire for Yuki Tsunoda who replaces Liam Lawson after just two races, in front of his home fans too. So far Tsunoda has looked pretty good, but practice counts for nothing.

We have had two more red flags in FP3 for grass fires, adding to the two stoppages they caused in FP2. The FIA said: "Ahead of qualifying, all available time and resources will be focused on further dampening the grass before the session." 

Here's hoping we can enjoy a fair fight with no ill-timed blazes.

A fire fighter sprays the grass at the side of the track to dampen it after fires during final practice

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Some minor housekeeping. Piastri and Verstappenn have received warnings for overtaking cars in the pitlane as they headed to the practice start area by pit exit, which is not allowed. Carlos Sainz has been fined 1,000 euro for speeding in the pitlane.

It's sakura season in Japan, which is... very pretty. 

Cherry Blossom by the side of the track

Photo by: Peter Fox - Getty Images

Will Verstappen's Suzuka streak end?

Max Verstappen has won the last three races from pole here. Is that run coming to and end today? It looks like it will, but you can never quite count out the mercurial Dutchman.

His poletime from last year has already been beaten by several drivers in FP3, such is the progress teams have made. The Esses have also been resurfaced, making them even faster and "tearing your head off" as Liam Lawson described it.

We're looking at a dry afternoon in Suzuka, with track temperatures of 34C and ambient temperatures around 15C. It is not as windy as yesterday, but gusts can still play their part.

Max Verstappen takes second behind Norris, Moments before, Yuki Tsunoda set a decent lap in fourth. This is what Red Bull wanted to see from its second driver.

Hadjar goes wide in Degner, which has left him in the dropzone after the first salvo of runs. Hamilton is in there too after his medium-tyred lap, but he is back out on the faster softs.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, I just can't focus. I have so much laptime to find, but it's just not driveable," Hadjar said.

He appears distracted by an issue in the cockpit that was also present in FP3, it is not clear yet what it is.

Hamilton is back up in sixth. We're heading into the final four minutes with Lawson, Alonso, Antonelli, Hadjar and Stroll in the danger zone.

At the front Norris' second lap has handed him the top of the leaderboard again; a 1m27.845s. He and second-placed Leclerc can safely stay in the garage.

Max Verstappen had been demoted to eighth, but his second lap now sees him climb to P4. Again the Dutchman has been voicing his displeasure over the lack of grip from the front axle of that Red Bull.

Piastri completes his second run now and goes top with a 1m27.687s. Antonelli is also safe after a much better run.

Hadjar already apologises for his woes, but he is through. Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson is in danger of going out, but he JUST scrapes through in 15th. The New Zealander dumps out Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg by 0.016s!

Piastri tops Q1 - Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Ocon, Doohan, Stroll out

All business as usual at the front with Piastri leading from Russell and Norris. The Ferraris and Red Bulls are up next.

Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Ocon, Doohan, Stroll are all done for the day.

So Yuki Tsunoda has not only made it through to Q2, but has done so within 0.024s of Max Verstappen. Brilliant stuff from the home hero so far.

Strooll has gone off the road in the Esses which has put paid to his chances.

Hulkenberg really should have gone through, but just drifted wide over the kerbs coming out of Degner 2 which cost him much more than the tiny gap to Lawson in 15th.

We are hearing from Racing Bulls that Hadjar is struggling with his seat belts, which are causing a lot of discomfort. You could see him wince in the cockpit as he came back to  the garage. 

Russell is second again, splitting Norris and Verstappen. Not a great lap for Piastri, half a second away. He will definitely need to go again.

There's a trampoline sized patch of grass on fire towards the end of the Esses.

It's actually good timing, right in between people's two Q2 runs.

FIA: "Grass fire on the inside of 130R. Given there’s 8:30 left on the clock, it’s been decided to red flag the session and resume once the fire has been put out and the area watered again."

So not Esses then, my bad. The marshals are on the case.

The onboard of Lando Norris' table-topping lap is a thing of beauty. That McLaren is hooked up.

At the other end Sainz, Alonso, Bearman, Tsunoda and Lawson are in the danger zone.

Piastri's poor lap is explained by drifting wide over the kerbs coming out of Degner 2, similar to Hulkenberg. He scooped up a bit of gravel too.

It's a pressure lap for Tsunoda, and not the greatest first sector. The rest of the lap is better, but it's not good enough for advance. He is 11th for now.

Great lap from Ollie Bearman though! He is provisonal eighth and looks good to stay in the top 10.

Norris tops Q2 - Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Lawson, Tsunoda out

Bearman's time holds. Hadjar and Albon also squeeze through to Q3!

That means we are losing Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Lawson and Tsunoda.

It's the first hiccup for Tsunoda after going so well until this point. One poor sector and it's enough to drop out. Two tenths cover the final half of that 15-car session, it is brutal.

All 10 cars are on track for what looks like a simple two-run approach.