Live text
Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.
Live AppleTV Race Audio
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.
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
Live Text
Sort by
Pit stop
At the end of lap 15, Perez and Sainz pit together from second and third. Both drivers take on fresh mediums, committing them to a two-stopper, as Norris leapfrogs them both.
Making use of his fresh hard tyres, Piastri has passed Magnussen for P9 at the chicane. A textbook move down the inside.
Pit stop
Verstappen continues to build his lead, which is up to 4.5s, as Alonso pits from fourth. The Aston driver comes out in eighth and on mediums but crucially ahead of Piastri.
Mechanical problem
But Zhou is back in the pits and this appears to be the end of his day as the team confirms a gearbox issue.
He is wheeled back into the garage.
He is wheeled back into the garage.
"Swap positions," comes the answer for Hamilton, as he lets Russell by at the final chicane for P6.
"Shall I let George by?" asks Hamilton.
Russell has been glued to his gearbox for some time now.
Russell has been glued to his gearbox for some time now.
Pit stop
Next time around, Piastri pits but everyone else keeps their powder dry from the frontrunners. The Australian comes out in hards and in 12th.
Pit stop
A 5.4s stop for Zhou, who has now made two stops since the restart. His pitlane loyalty card is gathering the stamps today.
Pit stop
Norris pits from third at the end of lap 11. It is a smart 2.3s stop and he comes out on hards in 10th.
Verstappen's lead continues to increase, up to 3.4s, with a similar gap splitting Perez from Norris.
Quote
"The steering is starting to feel a little bit strange. Lots of vibrations," reports Russell from P9.
Like Hamilton (P8), he is on the hard tyres.
Like Hamilton (P8), he is on the hard tyres.
Verstappen says his car is switching between understeering and oversteering as the tyres start to wear. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase says "I won't say I told you so," which clearly refers to him predicting this scenario.
Quote
"I see Lando struggling a bit," Sainz says on team radio. The Ferrari driver has moved back into DRS range of his former team-mate in the fight for third.
Pit stop
In comes Tsunoda for fresh hard tyres. He returns to the track and drops behind Bottas.
The undercut is powerful today, with Hulkenberg only narrowly missing out on passing the RB driver as well.
The undercut is powerful today, with Hulkenberg only narrowly missing out on passing the RB driver as well.
Verstappen's lead is up to 2.3s over Perez, but in truth the gaps between each of the frontrunners is slowly starting to expand, as tyre management comes into play.
Hulkenberg has also stopped for hard tyres after his tardy restart.
Back to the Sauber stop, and it was a four-second stop. Not great, but an improvement on their recent offerings.
Back to the Sauber stop, and it was a four-second stop. Not great, but an improvement on their recent offerings.
Pit stop
Bottas is the first driver to pit. He's only been on those soft tyres since the restart.
The Sauber driver returns to the track on hard tyres.
The Sauber driver returns to the track on hard tyres.
Verstappen has broken clear of DRS to Perez at the start of the sixth lap. The Mexican then runs wide coming out of Degner 2, which costs him a seven-tenths of a second.
Quote
"Car looks good," Alpine informs Ocon.
But the good news is immediately spoiled by Stroll cruising past for P12 at Turn One. He now has team-mate Gasly directly behind.
But the good news is immediately spoiled by Stroll cruising past for P12 at Turn One. He now has team-mate Gasly directly behind.
A pair of passes into Turn one, as Russell takes Tsunoda for P9 and Bottas takes Ocon for P11.
Perez just clings on to DRS range from Verstappen, but he has dropped Norris who is fending off Sainz and Alonso.
Quote
"Pierre gave me a hit in the side. Let me know if it's ok," says Ocon. He is currently P11 with team-mate Gasly in P14 but that was a less-than-perfect restart for the Alpine pair.
At the end of the first full racing lap, Verstappen leads by 0.9s over the line from Perez as DRS is enabled. But there is just one DRS zone at Suzuka, at the start/finish straight, so the Dutch driver effectively has another lap to skate clear.
Hamilton's hard tyre gamble has already cost him a position, with Leclerc finding his way through into P7.
Hulkenberg loses all of his advantage, with a poor start dropping him from P10 to P15.
Lights green
Here we go again! It is a repeat of the first start, as Verstappen gets away cleanly in the lead from Perez, Norris, Sainz and Alonso.
Logically, those on hards are aiming to make just one more pitstop, taking on their other set of hards, to make it to the end. Everyone else will likely stick to a two-stopper. We'll see how it plays out.
The field spread on this lap is incredible, with Verstappen in the final sector as Zhou pulls out of the pits.
Russell, Ocon, Gasly and Zhou have also switched to hard tyres for the restart.
Green flag
Verstappen leads the pack past the safety car, to effectively start lap two of the race, but really this is like another formation lap for the standing restart.
Fresh soft tyres for Bottas. Some mandatory pitstops have technically now been completed.
A few drivers have switched tyres in this pause. Hamilton has gone from the mediums to the hards for this restart. Is he targeting a one-stopper now?
The fans look in good spirits which is great to see. They've basically had 30 minutes extra in the sunshine which is a win in my book.
The engines are now beginning to fire up. Are we all ready to do this again?
The drivers are getting back into their cars and going through their final prep routines again. Will anyone switch tyres for this restart?
And now, the official confirmation that the incident between Albon and Ricciardo will be investigated after the race.
The latest message on the timing screen - "Track clear".
The race will restart at 14:32 local time - so in 12 minutes.
The latest update on timings, Leclerc has been advised that it will be at least another 15-20 minutes of red flag conditions before the restart procedure can commence.
Quote
"Is he ok?" was Tsunoda's first comment after the crash.
Verstappen and Leclerc also expressed concern for their rival's wellbeing after the red flags were thrown.
By: Autosport Staff
Published:
Lap:
