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Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.
Red Bull locked out the front row of the grid in qualifying, with Max Verstappen on pole once again. It will be on the chasing pack to catch the reigning world champions, with McLaren’s Lando Norris starting at the head of that group in third place.
The majority of the F1 paddock sees the Japan race as a place where the true pecking order will be revealed due to Suzuka’s characteristics and demands on the cars.
The Japanese GP starts at 6am BST.
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Verstappen has caught Leclerc and this one should be academic. And it is, as the Dutch driver uses DRS and goes around the outside to retake the lead into Turn 1.
Pit stop
Ocon and Gasly now sit at the foot of the order after both making second stops. Hards for the former and mediums for the latter.
Hamilton has requested Mercedes "change this strategy" and the team is waiting for a pit window to drop him into. Meanwhile, another driver overtakes a Mercedes, this time Sainz on Russell for fifth.
Another lap, another Mercedes car is overtaken. Alonso picks Turn 1 to make his move on Hamilton to take seventh place. This strategy isn't working out for the German squad so far because they cannot sustain a good enough pace to make it work.
Perez dives up the inside of Norris into the chicane to take third place. Norris doesn't really put up a fight knowing the pace advantage of the Red Bull.
Pit stop
Russell pits for Mercedes, taking on his other set of hards, and comes out in ninth place.
Quote
"We need to push now please," Alpine tells Ocon.
"I am pushing, what are you talking about?" comes the bleak response from the cockpit.
"I am pushing, what are you talking about?" comes the bleak response from the cockpit.
Stopwatch
During all of this, Verstappen is making his bolt away at the front. He's just set a new fastest lap of 1m35.617s and is over 5s clear of Leclerc.
Pit stop
A lap after Russell, Hamilton makes his pitstop to take up his other set of hards and comes out in ninth.
Pit stop
Chaos in the pits as Bottas, Sargeant, Tsunoda, Stroll and Magnussen all come into the pits together. Tsunoda jumps to the front of that pack after a brilliant stop from RB.
But Stroll has been noted for an unsafe release.
But Stroll has been noted for an unsafe release.
Leclerc has massaged his medium tyres to lap 26 and is keeping Perez behind him in second place. This Ferrari is making the one-stop plan work unlike Mercedes.
Quote
"How did I lose so much time?" asks Hamilton.
"Just traffic and degradation," says Mercedes.
"Just traffic and degradation," says Mercedes.
Ah, that's cursed him. Leclerc runs wide at Degner 2 and that waves Perez by and sees Norris close right up to him.
Pit stop
Leclerc duly pits at the end of the lap, followed in by Norris for his second stop, and they come out together in formation. But Russell splits them, taking a place from Norris but just misses out on also undercutting Leclerc.
On lap 28, Norris sweeps by Russell around the outside into Turn 1! A great move! That gives the McLaren driver seventh place.
Verstappen's lead is 10.7s on Perez and the Mexican has a 5.3s gap to Sainz. They are all due to pit again so it'll bring them closer to the pack but it is looking comfortable for Red Bull so far.
Leclerc, in sixth, is told that everyone in front of him still needs to stop again. That'll give him encouragement his one-stop strategy has a chance of paying off. This race will bubble up nicely over the closing laps.
Piastri locks up into the chicane and takes to the run-off. It costs him a few tenths but he has a big enough gap to Leclerc behind him.
Pit stop
20 laps to go and Piastri is the first of the front five to make their final pitstop. He comes out in a lonely ninth on fresh hards.
Russell is falling back from Norris now, losing four-tenths on the last lap alone.
He has now reported lots of turbulence on the back straight that is causing his helmet to feel like it's 'pulling off my head'.
He has now reported lots of turbulence on the back straight that is causing his helmet to feel like it's 'pulling off my head'.
Stroll's "pitlane infringement" is now under investigation.
Pit stop
At the end of lap 33, Perez and Alonso pit, both taking on fresh hards. Perez comes out in fifth right behind Norris and Alonso comes out in eighth.
And up into the points goes Tsunoda as he finally passes Hulkenberg for P10. The Haas driver put up an aggressive defensive display but it always appeared to be a matter of time.
In further Haas news, Magnussen has been reported by Bottas for weaving - the moves made on the run to 130R and on the pit straight.
Pit stop
A lap later and in comes the leader for his final pitstop. Verstappen takes on his fresh hards and comes out in a comfortable second.
No further action against Stroll. All's fair in love and war...and F1.
At the start of lap 35 Perez charges by Norris using DRS on the main straight. That puts Perez up to fourth and he charges after Leclerc.
Stopwatch
Perez repeats the move a lap later on Leclerc on the main straight and is up to third. At the same time the Mexican set a new fastest lap of 1m33.945s, so he is pushing on now.
Pit stop
Sainz locks up going into the chicane, just like Piastri a few minutes ago, and that's his clue to pit to give back these old tyres. The Spaniard takes fresh hards and comes out in seventh, 1.5s behind Hamilton.
Sainz's stop puts Verstappen back into the lead. His advantage is 7.5s over Perez.
One of the closer battles in the top 10 is over P8, with Piastri chasing Alonso. The McLaren driver fresher tyres by one lap.
Sainz uses his fresh tyres to charge by Hamilton using DRS. He gains two places to move up to fifth as Russell pits at the same time.
Norris gets it spun up over the kerbs coming out of Degner 2, but avoids a disaster to continue on in fourth.
It appears Mercedes has abandoned its one-stop gamble given Russell has stopped again, switching to mediums, while Hamilton is weighing up his options. He's sixth but two seconds per lap slower than Alonso behind.
Pit stop
Hamilton duly pits at the end of lap 39 for mediums and comes out in ninth and behind Russell.
Assuming Leclerc sticks with his one-stop strategy, that'll be it for the pitstops for the frontrunners. Verstappen leads by 8.9s from Perez, who has a 6.2s gap to Leclerc in third.
"What's the gap ahead? It looks like we lost even more time," says Hamilton.
Mercedes blame a slow in-lap for the loss.
Yellow flag
Sargeant has stopped at Degna Two.
Green flag
Sargeant is reversing back onto the track and is able to continue in his now gravel-coloured Williams. No contact with the barrier but there will likely be some floor damage sustained.
Leclerc will be defending from Norris and Sainz until the end of this race in the fight for the final podium spot as we head into the final 10 laps. Leclerc is 1.8s ahead of Norris with Sainz 0.9s back.
By: Autosport Staff
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