Winners and losers from the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix qualifying

Another Max Verstappen pole but Sergio Perez impressed as he ran his team-mate close at Suzuka.

It will be a Red Bull one-two lining up on Sunday’s grid but there were strong performances elsewhere from Lando Norris and home favourite Yuki Tsunoda.

Winners

Sergio Perez

Missed out on the pole but of the four events we have had so far this year, this was the session that he pushed his team-mate the most.

Verstappen will likely run away with it come the race but Perez’s form on Saturday suggests it may not be such a straightforward Sunday for the Dutchman.

Lando Norris

The McLaren man’s best qualy result of the season so far as he starts first of the non-Red Bull drivers.

Team-mate Oscar Piastri may have made the headlines on Friday but Norris sped it up in qualy and looked a threat from Q2 onwards. With a P2 here last year, the 24-year-old will be aiming for another podium finish this time round.

Yuki Tsunoda

In front of a jubilant home crowd, Yuki Tsunoda once again proved he is a step ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

It was Tsunoda whose time pushed Ricciardo out of Q2 but in Q3, the Japanese driver did not improve on his P10.

Sunday will be a fight to stay in the points but there is no reason why Tsunoda cannot be the lead candidate for that P10 spot.

Valtteri Bottas

Where did that lap come from then Valtteri? His team-mate may have put in the slowest lap of the day but Bottas set a blistering time of 1:29.602 to earn a deserved spot in Q2.

He could not quite replicate that speed in Q2 but a P13 starting spot will be a welcome reward for the Stake F1 driver.

PlanetF1.com recommends

F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

Japanese GP data: What we learned from practice at Suzuka

Losers

Lance Stroll

With Fernando Alonso ending the day in P5, there is no excuse for an early exit for Lance Stroll.

Work to do for Stroll on Sunday, but his form would suggest it is not a track that suits him, the Canadian having never finished higher than P9 at Suzuka.

Ferrari

For the first time this season, Ferrari looked more than a step away from Red Bull and even McLaren were quicker than them at Suzuka.

There was a general feeling of confusion throughout the grid when drivers learned of their pace difference to Verstappen but Charles Leclerc in particular seemed puzzled as to how he ended up 0.589 seconds behind the Dutchman.

He starts in P8 and while Carlos Sainz is in P4, it was still a tough day for the Italian outfit.

Pierre Gasly

Another Q1 exit for the Frenchman who has so far failed to last more than 18 minutes of a qualifying session this season.

The Alpine car undoubtedly still has its faults but with Esteban Ocon starting to crack Q2, Gasly’s inability to do similar is not a good look.

He did run in the points at stages in Australia but it is hard to see how he will do similar this weekend.

Read next: Japanese GP: Max Verstappen’s qualifying dominance continues with a P1 in Suzuka