Japanese GP unknowns set to create opportunities as Red Bull might not dominate
Red Bull have locked out the front row of the grid for the first time in over a year at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix and there is a sense that a largely processional race could take place on Sunday.
Max Verstappen has won the last two races at Suzuka, both in dominant fashion, and he will have Sergio Perez alongside him with a point to prove after a disappointing Australia.
Third-placed Lando Norris is targeting a repeat of his Japan podium from six months ago then comes fourth-placed Carlos Sainz, who is in brilliant form and Ferrari’s race pace in practice raised a few eyebrows.
Ferrari and Mercedes look strong
Second practice is typically when we see race simulations to get an idea of who will be quick in the Grand Prix. However, light rain on Friday afternoon at Suzuka meant the session was pretty much meaningless.
Instead, final practice saw the teams cram in a long run and Mercedes and Ferrari had very fast, consistent times, better than Red Bull‘s.
Of course, we don’t know about fuel levels and engine modes but Red Bull were forced to make changes after FP3, such was their lack of pace on the long runs.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull during qualifying for 2024 Japanese Grand Prix | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
It didn’t affect their qualifying pace as we saw on Saturday but if final practice was accurate, Red Bull will not have it all their own way in the Japanese GP.
“I haven’t been happy with my long runs,” said Verstappen. “I think the pace wasn’t what I would have liked, so it’s a bit of a question mark going into Sunday because looking at the long runs, especially Ferrari, they look very comfortable.
“Maybe they were not so quick over one lap, but they were definitely fast in the long run. So we’ll have to wait and see how that will evolve in the race.”
Ferrari took an impressive 1-2 at the Australian GP and have made big gains with tyre wear since last season’s summer break.
It could be that we see a reverse of what we are used to in recent years – Ferrari quick on Sundays instead of Saturdays.
could be that we see a reverse of what we are used to in recent years – Ferrari quick on Sundays instead of Saturdays.
“I cannot look inside the Ferrari garage to see why that is,” continued Verstappen. “But it’s quite obvious that then in the long run they seem quite competitive.
“From our side, I have some ideas of what we have to look into to make Sunday better, and that’s also what we already changed after FP3. So hopefully that will be better.
“I mean, our race place is still not too bad, but it’s not how I have been feeling in some of the races this year, last year, as comfortable, let’s say, like that. But hopefully with the changes that we made, it will be better.”

