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Verstappen and Leclerc begin 1 and 2 in Japan, a result that means the duo have scored their eighth front row start of this season.
Sainz, who looked almost certain to better Leclerc ends up behind his teammate in a Ferrari 2 and 3 at the Japanese GP qualifying.
Red Bull look confident ahead of the massively challenging Japanese Grand Prix but as always, one can’t rule out the force of the Ferraris, a team that has pace if not the edge in strategy.
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Hamilton, P6, leads Alonso (P7) and Vettel (P9) on the starting grid (in that order).
We have a cracker of 53 spine bending and nerve-wracking laps ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix of 2022.
But which key predictions basis today’s result stand the chance of making an already interesting race even more engaging?
SportsTiger has that covered for you!
1. Vettel will show form in his last Japanese GP
Sebastian Vettel finished on pole here at Suzuka the last Formula 1 visited the land of the Rising Sun.
This time around, the four-time world champion will manage a result in points.
Though his final race position cannot be predicted, it must be said that a finish in points, which seems highly possible is the best that an Aston Martin driver will manage on Sunday.
Interestingly, Vettel is back on the track where he stood on the podium back in 2019.
Showing great speed in the final moments of Q2, Vettel knocked Ricciardo out from reaching Q3 by the barest of margins; the Australian missing the final qualification run by 0.003 seconds.
Additionally, it is expected that on Sunday, the F1 veteran will comfortably outscore his Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll.
2. Danny Ric will drive a memorable race
Perhaps one of the most unsung and hugely under-reported facts from Singapore was Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo’s race.
For someone who’s so often been hounded in 2022- not that he hasn’t earned it- Ricciardo collected a valiant P5, which proved to be his best race result of the year.
That’s from seventeen races including the famous Marina Bay-bound Street circuit.
Building on a great recent result, Ricciardo showed fine form and made it to Q2 here at Suzuka on October 8, 2022.
But unfortunately, he failed to reach Q3 thanks to a massive lock in his final flying lap during Q2.
On Sunday, however, the Honeybadger will put all his experience and focus into play and shall score a fine result at the Japanese GP.
While taking a blind punt makes no sense, what does, however, is to say the truth: that Ricciardo will try his best to outscore his teammate and end what is his final Japanese GP (since he’s found no seat for 2023) on a high.
Does that mean a finish inside the top ten - hell, yes!
3. Alonso will not be able to outscore Esteban Ocon
The legends do love this track. Just about anything can happen much like the true flavour of Formula 1 here at Suzuka.
How’s that?
Kimi won here from seventeenth on the grid back in 2005. Alonso, who actually set the second fastest time in Q2 just minutes back, edged out Michael Schumacher in a hair-raising move and that too, at the 130R back in his Renault days.
Moreover, none would have expected icons like Hamilton, a five-time winner of the Japanese GP, to struggle in the 2022 qualifying; the seven-time world champion has gathered the sixth fastest time on the grid.
That said, on Sunday, Fernando Alonso, who’s so often impressed this season and seemed faster than Ocon at different intervals of the quali (Jap) will likely stay true to the unpredictable nature of Suzuka.
Though he’ll fight Esteban Ocon real hard in the race, the Frenchman will find a way to better the legendary Spaniard.
Forget not that Ocon begins his Japanese challenge from fifth on the grid while Alonso starts seventh.
4. Tsunoda will score points
Yuki Tsunoda is all set to begin his first ever Japanese GP from P12.
That’s not a terrible place from which to commence his home race. All he’ll want, much like his home fans, would be an impressive race finish.
The last that he scored points was actually at the 2022 Spanish GP. But can Japan bring forth some relief?
It most certainly can. For starters, Tsunoda outqualified his more experienced teammate Pierre Gasly.
Now it’s all about fighting it out for the race on Sunday.
