Verstappen fends off Norris to win in Japan
Red Bull's Max Verstappen fended off a race-long challenge from the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to win the Japanese Grand Prix.The Dutchman's fourth consecutive victory at Suzuka was his first of the year and moves Verstappen to within one point of Norris at the head of the drivers' championship.Verstappen's drive was cool under intense pressure, with rarely more than two seconds between him and Norris, and founded on a quite brilliant pole position lap on Saturday.McLaren had feared that the Red Bull would be difficult to pass if Verstappen held the lead at the start, and so it proved.
Verstappen led the two McLarens for the entire first stint, the three lapping closely together.There may be questions as to why McLaren pitted Piastri first, when it might have made sense to attack Verstappen with Norris with an earlier pit stop.Verstappen and Norris stopped on the same lap, one later than Piastri, and there was an immediate flashpoint.As they pitted, they were separated by just 1.5 seconds. Norris' stop was faster by a second, and as they left the pits the McLaren was halfway alongside the Red Bull.But Verstappen held his line, and Norris ran out of track, taking to the grass.Norris complained about Verstappen's driving, saying he had been pushed off, while Verstappen countered by saying his rival had driven off by himself. The stewards agreed with the four-time world champion.From then on, Norris and Piastri tracked Verstappen for the final 32 laps, with just over two seconds separating them most of the time.But Norris could not get within a second of Verstappen, and in fact it was Piastri who looked to have the best pace, sometimes closing to within 0.5secs of his team-mate.Piastri suggested to the team that he felt he had the pace to beat Verstappen - a thinly veiled request to be let past.But McLaren did not interfere in their battle and the drivers crossed the line in the order they had held all race, separated by just 2.2 seconds.Piastri moves into third place in the championship ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, and is 13 points behind his team-mate.Verstappen said: "It was tough, just pushing very hard on the last set. The two McLarens were pushing me very hard."Not easy to manage the tyres. I'm incredibly happy. It started off quite tough this weekend but we didn't give up, we carried on improving the car and today it was in its best form. Starting on pole was very important."Norris added: "The pace was too similar to do anything more. Long race, a lot of pushing, flat out from start to finish, but nothing special we had to get Max on. He deserved it."They were quick, they've made some improvements, and we'll have to work hard."The top three were in a race of their own and the entire grand prix was pretty static in terms of order.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc held off Russell for fourth place, while the Briton's 18-year-old team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli put in a strong final stint to close to less than two seconds behind his team-mate.Lewis Hamilton, on an alternate tyre strategy, took seventh from eighth place on the grid, getting ahead of Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar early in the race.Alex Albon drove an attacking race, complaining to the Williams team about his strategy, to take ninth, ahead of the Haas of Briton Oliver Bearman.In his first race for Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda finished 12th with the man he replaced, Liam Lawson, 17th in the Racing Bull.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
George Russell's X-rated message after Canada pole sets up another battle with Max Verstappen
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GEORGE RUSSELL secured pole to set up a tasty battle with old foe Max Verstappen — then roared: 'What a f***ing lap!' It was the first pole for the Mercedes driver this season. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 George Russell is on pole for the Canadian Grand Prix today Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK OFFICIAL 4 The Mercedes ace produced an incredible drive to reignite his rivalry with Max Verstappen Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 4 Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri trailed Russell in qualifying Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK And it reignites the battle with bitter rival Verstappen, who joins the Brit on the front row and will be desperate to get past him from lights out in today's Canadian Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri finished third — but it was a horror show for his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, who was down in seventh. Russell said: 'It was awesome. To get the pole, that last lap was one of the most exhilarating of my life. 'This lap is mighty and to cross the line in P1 was a real surprise — but I was so chuffed with it.' READ MORE F1 NEWS The pits Abandoned F1 track overgrown and covered in rubbish 13 years after last race It was sweet revenge for Russell, who was deliberately driven into by Verstappen in Barcelona last time out. That earned the Dutchman three points on his licence — and the four-time world champion now needs to be on his best behaviour in Canada this weekend as he is just one penalty point away from suspension. When asked about Verstappen, Russell added: 'We're mates, it's all good. 'I've got a few more points on my licence to play with!' JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 George Russell couldn't contain his delight with his incredible lap Credit: X@F1 The row clearly did not put Verstappen off his stride. The 27-year-old said: 'I felt good all weekend — the car was actually in a good window. George Russell furiously hits back at Max Verstappen after the F1 world champion's stinging criticism of him 'I'm very happy with qualifying. I'm already very happy with what we achieved to be on the front row.' Norris was the culprit of a major cock-up in Q3 as he went well wide on his first lap in the final session and failed to record a lap time. The big error from the McLaren driver meant he had to have two more goes at recording a lap time, having already put their tyres through their paces. Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli bagged fourth, while Lewis Hamilton made it into fifth ahead of sixth-placed Fernando Alonso. It came down to the wire and pole position could not be called as Russell fired a warning shot, notching the fastest time in Q2 just ahead of Norris. Verstappen showed you can write him off at your peril as he flew into provisional pole ahead of Piastri in the final session. Yet Aussie Piastri said: 'After how practice went, I'm pretty happy with myself at the moment. I'm already very happy with what we achieved to be on the front row. George Russell 'I'm pretty happy with third, which is a bit different, but I'll take it here.' Alex Albon's engine cover bizarrely flew off his Williams six minutes into Q1 and brought a red flag so debris could be cleared from the track. The cover flew off down the back straight and he nearly lost control into the final chicane due to less downforce. And there was beef between Carlos Sainz and Isack Hadjar in the first session as the Williams driver was booted out in 17th as he felt the Racing Bulls rookie 'massively impeded him'. Williams team principal James Vowles said: 'It's frustrating. Disrupted session, but we had a fast car. 'That's just a car that's staying on line and clearly not aware of what's around him. 'Hadjar, I'm sure, will receive a penalty. We will focus on Alex now.'
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Max Verstappen hits out at driving criticism as George Russell seals Canada pole
A furious Max Verstappen lashed out at criticism of his driving as 'childish, annoying and p****** him off' after his nemesis George Russell beat him to pole position for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix. Russell snatched top spot with a brilliant final lap at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to leave Verstappen trailing by 0.160 seconds, with McLaren pair Oscar Piastri third and Lando Norris a disappointing seventh. It means Mercedes' Russell and defending champion Verstappen will line up on the front row together, a fortnight after their collision in Spain. Red Bull driver Verstappen accelerated into Russell and was demoted from fifth to 10th by the stewards at the Circuit de Barcelona. He was also hit with three penalty points which leaves him one point away from a race ban. Moments after he landed his second pole in as many years in Montreal, Russell said jovially of his rivalry with Verstappen: 'We are mates so we are all good. I've got a few more points on my licence to play with, so let's see.' But when the subject arose in the post-qualifying press conference, Verstappen did not see the funny side. 'I don't need to hear it again,' he said. 'It is really p****** me off. You speaking about it on Thursday, it is such a waste of time. It is very childish. 'I don't want to say too much because it is really annoying this world that we live in.' Russell insisted earlier this week that Verstappen's attempts to 'scare' him in Barcelona did not work and he believes a ban for the Dutch driver – if he reaches 12 points – would be justified. On Saturday, Russell continued: 'I don't think any driver goes out there looking to crash into somebody and get penalty points on their licence. Max is one of the best and there is no reason for him to race any differently. 'But I am not sitting here thinking he will give me more room but probably the opposite to prove a point so I will keep an eye on that. We are here to win and we will not do something which jeopardises the race.' Norris is 10 points behind Piastri and his championship challenge has been derailed by errors in qualifying. Here, he made another two when it came to the crunch – aborting the final right-left chicane on his first run in Q3 and then grazing the wall on the exit of Turn 7 with his last effort to leave him seven tenths off the pole pace and four places and half-a-second behind Piastri in the other McLaren. 'It is a very easy track to push one per cent too much and pay the price – and that's what happened today,' said Norris. 'Mistakes have cost me. A podium will be tough because we don't have the pace we have had of the past few races. I am not as confident as in other places but I am confident we can go forward but it will be a struggle.' Kimi Antonelli will line up from fourth for Mercedes, one place ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. Charles Leclerc made an error on his last lap and is eighth on the grid.
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Verstappen rages at 'childish' comment in press conference after Russell jab
Max Verstappen has snapped back at continued questions over a potential race ban given his penalty points situation after he was beaten to pole position in Canada by George Russell Max Verstappen was left fuming as he again had to face questions over a possible race ban and admitted its "really p***ing me off". The Red Bull driver is one penalty point away from being hit with a race ban. His antics at the recent Spanish Grand Prix, where he drove into rival George Russell, saw him have more points added to his licence and he will drive at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix knowing he must toe the line. Verstappen is known for his aggressive style, which has been a hallmark throughout his career, and the Dutchman may have to show a more measured approach at Montreal if he doesn't want to be absent from the grid later down the line. It was Russell whom he clashed with in Barcelona and the pair have history, exchanging verbals in the past. They have drawn a line in the sand but the saga continues to be bought up and Verstappen had enough as he snapped at one question. As F1's Tom Clarkson began a question about Verstappen's penalty points as well as his rivalry with Russell but the defending world champion quickly stopped him in his tracks and said: "I don't need to hear it again." He then added: It's really p***ing me off. You [the media] speaking about it on Thursday, it's such a waste of time. It's childish. It's really annoying this world that we live in.' Russell meanwhile appears more than happy to poke the bear after landing pole position with a stunning lap in Montreal. He stuck his Mercedes ahead of Verstappen, who will start second ahead of world championship leader Oscar Piastri going into Turn 1. When he was asked about his pole lap the Mercedes star smirked and said: "I've got a few more points on my licence to play with." That drew some cheers but also audible boos from fans in the stands at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Brit added: "To be honest that last lap was probably one of the most exhilarating laps of my life. I got into the last corner and I was six tenths up and I was like, 'This lap is mighty'. Crossing the line and seeing we were P1 was a real surprise, but I was so chuffed with it." Russell had whooped with delight over the radio after his pole was confirmed and shouted: "What a f****** lap!" The same could not be said about Lando Norris, who was under pressure in the final round of qualifying after fluffing his opening lap. The best he could muster after that issue was seventh as his engineer looked to re-inspire his confidence over team radio. It gives Norris plenty to do as he looks to close on his team-mate. He said: "A tough Qualifying and not the result I was after. We were lacking a little bit of pace to the quickest cars, and I've pushed a bit too much to try and find that."
