Max Verstappen led the timesheet after the first practice session in Japan. Friday’s practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix were heavily disrupted, with a red flag in FP1 due to an accident. FP2 was also disappointing for the drivers due to the constantly changing weather conditions.
Most drivers, including Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, did not have much track time during FP2. Despite this, Verstappen expressed satisfaction with his RB20 and mentioned that there are still some things they need to analyze and test.
Verstappen reflected on his performance after the practice sessions and mentioned that he was generally happy with the first session. He felt that his car was performing well during FP1.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s qualifying session, Verstappen acknowledged that it could be tricky for Red Bull. He noted that other teams have closed the gap and that qualifying will be a challenging session to master.
Verstappen believes that the competition is fiercer this year compared to last year. He expects a tighter battle in a single lap, but is unsure about the pace over long distances.
After a disappointing outing at the Australian GP, Verstappen is determined to put on a good performance during the ongoing race weekend. However, rain could potentially disrupt Red Bull’s plans for qualifying.