F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix?

Thomas Maher 06 Apr 2024 8:32 AM

The provisional starting grid for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix has been confirmed.

Max Verstappen came out on top of a thrilling Red Bull battle to clinch his 36th career pole position at Suzuka, ahead of Sergio Perez. Here’s the full starting grid.

The Red Bulls occupy the front row for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, almost three-tenths of a second clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris as Verstappen and Perez traded fastest times at the front.

Max Verstappen takes Japanese Grand Prix pole

The Dutch driver dug deep on his final run in Q3 to put in a 1:28.197 to finish just 0.066 clear of Perez, with the Mexican driver all but matching his teammate on the final runs as the duo squabbled over the fastest sector times.

With Norris finishing third for McLaren, Australian GP winner Carlos Sainz was once again the higher-placed Ferrari driver as he claimed fourth on the grid for the Scuderia, with Fernando Alonso fifth for Aston Martin.

Oscar Piastri underlined McLaren’s pace by clinching sixth in the other MCL38, while Lewis Hamilton finished seventh for Mercedes ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as the Monegasque only did one timed run in Q3.

George Russell was ninth for Mercedes, with Yuki Tsunoda coming out on top of the RB battle to claim 10th place on the grid.

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The positions between 11th and 15th were decided in Q2, where Daniel Ricciardo took 11th place after being narrowly beaten into Q3 by Tsunoda. Nico Hulkenberg was 12th for Haas as the German driver fell foul of track limits during his first run in Q2, while Valtteri Bottas took 13th for Sauber.

Alex Albon finished 14th for Williams, while Esteban Ocon was the higher-placed Alpine driver as he took 15th place.

In Q1, Lance Stroll was a surprise knock-out as the Aston Martin driver failed to progress. Pierre Gasly finished 17th for Alpine, as the French driver complained about the traction of his car.

Kevin Magnussen claimed 18th for Haas, while Logan Sargeant and Zhou Guanyu fill the back row for Williams and Sauber, respectively.

For now, there are no grid penalties applied to any driver, but George Russell and Oscar Piastri have been summoned before the stewards in Japan over an allegedly unsafe release from the Mercedes driver as he entered the pitlane alongside the McLaren during Q1.