Formula 1: Tightly-wound Max Verstappen off the pace in free practice one in Japan
An edgy Max Verstappen won’t be feeling any better after free practise one in Japan, clocking times nearly a second behind pace setters Mercedes.
An edgy Max Verstappen won’t be feeling any better after free practise one in Japan, clocking times nearly a second behind pace setters Mercedes.
His on-track troubles come after the temperamental four-time champion ejected a journalist from his press scrum, and with his teammate Isak Hadjar citing technical difficulties for causing dangerous bouts of oversteer snap.
The situation at the famed Suzuka circuit looked much better for Australian Oscar Piastri and his McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Papaya pair both failed to start the Chinese Grand Prix a fortnight ago, and just a week after Piastri crashed out of his home race on the reconnaissance lap.
However, they both settled in behind Mercedes as the best-of-the-rest team on the first day of running ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
George Russell, who claimed victory in Australia, topped the times but only narrowly over Silver Arrows compatriot Kimi Antonelli, who enters the weekend off the back of his maiden Grand Prix victory in China.
Ferrari pair Charles LeClerc and Lewis Hamilton also showed strong pace to remain inside half a second of Russell and Antonelli, but Verstappen, who finished with the seventh-fastest time, was more than 0.700 off the pace.
The Dutchman’s frustrations have gotten the better of him in recent times, especially at the start of the past two campaigns, when Red Bull struggled for pace.
Last year, the team were able to produce a remarkable turnaround that saw Verstappen come within two points of a fifth-straight world title.
But it was a question asked to him in the hours after that result in Abu Dhabi that prompted him to boot British journalist Giles Richards out of his Japan press conference on Thursday.
Richards asked Verstappen if he had “any regrets” about a collision with Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix on June 1 last year, which cost him a 10-second penalty and ultimately points that would have handed him the title.
It rankled the Red Bull ace, who seemingly saw the question as a British journalist rubbing the defeat in his face and that the Champion, Norris, is British.
The feud then flared again in Japan with Verstappen saying, “I’m not speaking before he’s leaving.”
Richards, who writes for The Guardian, departed the conference with Verstappen adding “get out”.
