Featuring the top qualifier Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing, the second position holder Sergio Perez also from Red Bull Racing, and Lando Norris from McLaren in third place. The interviews were conducted trackside by Jean Alesi.
Q: Lando, how enjoyable is it to compete for the pole position in the Suzuka qualifying?
Lando Norris: It’s always thrilling. Opportunities like this are rare, but we had a strong car today. I was able to put up a fight and deliver some impressive laps, especially in Q3. So I’m extremely pleased with today’s performance. It’s always a delight to be here in front of the fans, and it’s a positive outcome for McLaren. We had a great race here last year and a good one last weekend, so it’s nice to still be in the mix.
Q: McLaren has historically been competitive in Suzuka. Are you aiming for a podium finish tomorrow?
LN: Absolutely. We’ve had a solid weekend so far and made significant progress. We’re trying to catch up to the Red Bulls, who are doing an exceptional job. Credit to the entire team. However, we’re putting in the hard work, and it’s slowly paying off. So we’ll continue pushing. Today’s performance is a promising start to the weekend, but the main task is tomorrow.
Q: We wish you good luck, and I’m sure the fans are eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s race. Thank you. Checo, what did you have for breakfast? Did you eat something substantial?
Sergio Perez: Yeah, it was a close call today, especially with Max. It felt like a solid lap. The conditions out there were quite challenging. Particularly in the final sector, it was easy to lose a couple of tenths, especially while closing out the laps and approaching the chicane. But we managed to piece it all together. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
Q: During your last run, you were very close to securing the pole position. Did you believe it was possible for you?
SP: Yes, I think we’ve been consistently close throughout the weekend, including qualifying. When you’re operating within such fine margins, every little detail can make a difference. I didn’t have a great start to the lap, so that could have been the deciding factor. However, I believe we’re in a good position for tomorrow. Our long-run pace wasn’t the strongest this morning, but we’ve put in the effort to improve. Hopefully, we’ll be competitive tomorrow.
Q: We noticed some Mexican flags among the Japanese fans. We wish you the best for tomorrow.
SP: Thank you, I appreciate it.
Q: Max, well done. It’s fantastic. Watching you all day, especially in Spoon this morning, we were amazed by the speed you carried into the corner. However, was it challenging for you to secure the pole?
Max Verstappen: Yeah, it was a close battle in the end. Overall, this track is quite demanding on the tires due to the aggressive tarmac. When you’re pushing to the limit, things don’t always go perfectly. Nevertheless, the most important thing is to be on pole. Of course, you strive for perfection in every lap, but that’s not always achievable on a track like this. Overall, it was a very good day, and we have a strong starting position for tomorrow, which is what truly matters.
Q: With your teammate alongside you at the start, do you feel more relaxed for tomorrow?
MV: Well, it’s great for the team to have both of us in P1 and P2. Hopefully, we can maintain this position tomorrow and continue performing well.
Q: Amazing pole position, Max. Very well done. Can you begin by describing how great those qualifying Q3 laps felt?
MV: Here in Suzuka, it’s always a wonderful feeling when the fuel is low, the car’s balance is nearly perfect, and you can push at maximum speed. The improvements in car performance each year make it even more exhilarating, especially at high speeds. So today was really enjoyable.
Q: On your final lap of Q3, you went even faster. However, I wanted to ask if you lost any time when you came across George Russell at 130R?
MV: Yes, I started losing time from Turn 13 onwards. The tire sensitivity around this track is high. If you push too hard in Sector 1, you’ll run out of tire grip towards the end, which is what happened to me on my final lap. That’s why I didn’t make significant improvements. Additionally, my last chicane suffered because the front tires were deteriorating, and I couldn’t hit the curb as I should have. It wasn’t ideal, but it was still good enough. Of course, perfection is always desired, but it’s not always attainable. Thankfully, it was sufficient today.
Q: Max, can you tell us about the conditions during qualifying, such as the wind and the track’s evolution throughout the session?
MV: This track requires a lot of flat-out driving. While there is some improvement in Sector 1, it’s not a significant gain. The evolution of the track didn’t feel massive during qualifying. It was more about fine-tuning the car and taking risks in Q3.
Q: One last question from me. You mentioned yesterday that the competition seemed closer here, and that was evident in qualifying. Do you expect the race to be just as close?
MV: Yes, so far, my long runs haven’t been satisfactory. The pace wasn’t as good as I would have liked. It’s a bit uncertain going into tomorrow because Ferrari, in particular, looked very comfortable during long runs. They may not have been as quick in qualifying, but they were definitely fast over a longer distance. We’ll have to wait and see how that unfolds in the race.
Q: McLaren?
LN: They were also quite decent. Unfortunately, I wasn’t happy with my own long run, so everyone else appears to be performing better.
Q: Great job today, Checo. You were just one-tenth behind Max. How satisfied are you with your session?
SP: Yes, as Max mentioned, it was all about fine margins. It was easy to lose a tenth or two by pushing a bit too hard in certain corners. With the amount of energy we put into the tires here, it was challenging to nail the perfect lap. It was a close session, but overall, the whole weekend has been positive. We made progress and maintained consistency in qualifying. Now, let’s see what we can achieve tomorrow. Our long-run pace doesn’t look great at the moment, but we’ve made some changes that will hopefully result in a better race pace.
Q: Checo, you seem much more comfortable in the car compared to last year when you were eight tenths off Max in qualifying. What do you attribute that to?
SP: As Carlos would say, we stopped trying to reinvent the wheel. We were tinkering with the car too much, going in circles. Now, we have a better foundation, and we’re happier. We learned towards the end of last year that it’s better to take a step back and not chase the setup too aggressively, as it compromises other aspects. That’s been the case this year. I’m more comfortable, happier, and my confidence is slowly returning.
Q: Well done. Thank you. Lando, now turning to you. You were the best of the rest today, just two tenths behind pole. Did you expect to be that close in qualifying?
LN: I anticipated being closer, but not as close as we were today. It was a tight battle between many teams, including Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Ferrari. They didn’t seem to have as much of an advantage as in previous weekends. So, among eight cars, we knew it would be challenging. Finishing behind the top two, I consider it a job well done. It was tricky to put in good laps, but I was most satisfied with my two Q3 laps. Two tenths is not a significant gap. Compared to last year when we were five tenths off pole, it’s a clear improvement. This track is where we introduced upgrades last season, making it the best comparison for our progress over the winter. It’s a very positive sign.
Q: You’re also much closer compared to the first three races. Is that specific to this track, or have you found something in the car this weekend?
LN: The car remains exactly the same.
Q: What about the race? What can you do to challenge the two drivers ahead of you?
LN: I’m not sure. There isn’t much we can do. On the first lap, I’ll try to get a good start. Last year, I was side by side with Max into Turn 1, so I hope to replicate that. However, it’s challenging. They’re fast. They may have complained about their race pace, but they haven’t had a bad race in the past four or five years. They’ll likely perform well tomorrow. We also face pressure from behind, so we need to keep an eye on our mirrors. At the same time, I want to move forward, and I believe we have the pace to maintain our position.
Q: Do you think this is your best chance in recent memory to at least beat one of them?
LN: I’ll say yes. It’s tricky. Sergio is doing a great job, making it harder to keep up with him. However, we proved last year when we were further behind that we could stay in touch and not be miles behind. So that’s our target for tomorrow. Realistically, we’re still too far away to challenge them. They’re faster than us. Although we’re quicker in qualifying, they usually pull away more during the race. So, we’ll be realistic. Our competition is with the drivers behind us. At the same time, I’ll do my best to make progress.
Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) A question to Lando, please. You mentioned that the two laps in Q3 were your most satisfying during qualifying, but can you explain the difference between the two, between Run 1 and Run 2? Thanks. LN: Similar to what Sergio and Max said, when you push a little bit harder, there’s a small price to pay. It’s a delicate balance between pushing too much and not pushing enough. I was really pleased with my first lap in Q2, Run 1. So I decided to try a few more things to unlock some extra performance. It was still a good lap, just a few hundredths of a second slower than my first one. I tried to push a bit more in Sector 1, but I ended up losing grip on the front tires. It’s easy to go over the limit. I did make some gains in other corners, but not enough to make a significant improvement. So, both laps were good, just one was slightly better than the other.
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) A question to Max and Checo can add if he wants to. Are you surprised to see Ferrari not performing well in qualifying, considering their usual speed over one lap? And regarding the long run, do you have any idea why it has been more challenging to find a balance this weekend? Is it due to the new upgrades on the car or the lack of data from missing FP2? MV: I can’t say what’s happening in the Ferrari garage. But it’s clear that they seem competitive during long runs. We’ll see tomorrow if that’s the case. From our side, we have some ideas on how to improve for tomorrow, and we’ve already made some changes after FP3. Our race pace isn’t too bad, but it’s not as comfortable as in previous races. Hopefully, the changes we made will make a difference.
Q: Checo, anything you want to add about qualifying? SP: Same.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) The slightly cooler conditions compared to our usual visit in September. How has that affected your approach in the car? SP: It’s more enjoyable because the tires perform better over one lap. Plus, not having the sun in your face makes it easier to navigate the high-speed corners. The cooler conditions have been favorable. In terms of tire degradation, it doesn’t make much of a difference due to the high energy exerted on the tires. MV: It also looks more pleasant with the cherry blossoms, making it more fitting for this time of the year with Australia, Suzuka, and China on the calendar. It would be a good idea to have Suzuka and China back-to-back in the future, maybe even adding Singapore. Cooler conditions naturally provide more grip, which is always beneficial on a track like this that is demanding on tires. LN: I don’t have much to add. It does look nicer, and it seems to work in our favor. Our performance has improved, so I can’t complain. I wouldn’t mind a bit of sun on my face though. Checo has a nice tan, and I’ve lost mine a bit. Overall, it’s better this way.
Q: (Joost Smedema – NOS) At the start of the weekend, you mentioned that the team made changes to prevent brake issues like in Australia. Can you provide more details on what has changed since last weekend to avoid a repeat? MV: We have taken on a more supervising role to double-check certain things. Sometimes, due to time constraints or curfews, there can be rush jobs to make changes between sessions. We want to ensure that everything is thoroughly checked without blaming any individual. It’s helpful to have someone overseeing things and addressing any potential issues.
Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) To the two Red Bull drivers. How does the car feel with the recent upgrades compared to the first three races? SP: The car’s characteristics haven’t changed significantly. We have made improvements, and the car is better overall. However, it may not be as noticeable at this track, as it is more suited to other circuits. We’ll have to wait a few more races to fully assess the impact of the upgrades. MV: It’s challenging to evaluate without running the previous package here. But naturally, it should be a step forward, and we’ll work on understanding and optimizing it further.
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) Another question for Max, but the others can contribute if they wish. You’ve mentioned before that you prefer the driving experience of the 2021 car. How does it compare to the previous car around a demanding track like Suzuka? MV: The high-speed performance is good with these cars, but in low-speed corners, it feels a bit cumbersome. Fortunately, there aren’t many low-speed corners here. Personally, I find high-speed corners more enjoyable in any car. The older cars were more agile, but the current car generates a lot of downforce in high-speed corners.
Q: (Sándor Mészáros – AutoSport ES Formula) Max, your long-time chief mechanic, Lee Stevenson, has left the team. Chief mechanics are often overlooked heroes. Can you discuss the importance of a strong working relationship with the chief mechanic? MV: I had a great relationship with Leroy since I joined Red Bull in 2016. He was my number one mechanic until the end of 2020. We’ve shared many memorable moments together. He took on a different role, spending more time at the factory and sharing chief mechanic duties. He got a fantastic opportunity at Sauber, and I don’t blame him for exploring something new. We’re still good friends, and sometimes in life, you have to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. If it doesn’t work out, you can always come back.
Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) There was a lot of discussion about Fernando’s tactics in Melbourne and what is considered acceptable. Can you share any clarifications or discussions from the driver’s briefing? MV: We had a brief briefing, and everyone was a bit tired. We’re tired of talking about it.