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Lewis Hamilton criticised Mercedes’ tactics and suggested he and George Russell needed to “work as a team” after on-track battles throughout the Japanese Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion finished fifth at Suzuka, two places ahead of Russell in a race where the pair scrapped repeatedly and aired frustration over the team radio. After an early coming together where Russell surged past Hamilton before swiftly losing the place again, the 38-year-old pushed his team-mate off track in a second scrap and they then disagreed over how to defend their places against Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Russell was struggling on his tyres having attempted a one-stop strategy, while others around him deployed a two-stop, and Hamilton urged his team to let him through. The 25-year-old resisted on the radio before being told “this is an instruction, George” and allowing Hamilton to pass. Hamilton was then told to stay within DRS range to help his team-mate defend against Sainz, as the Spaniard had done to thwart Russell a week ago in Singapore. “We should have swapped around earlier and I should have got as far ahead as possible to get the gap as big as we could to the Ferrari,” Hamilton said. “Because he (Russell) was trying to fight me he was damaging his tyres and I think it just made it all complicated. “The fact is we are not fighting each other in the team championship. As drivers it is not important where we are. “What is important is that one of us finishes ahead of the Ferrari and to keep the position. Today we really needed to work as a team.” We are not fighting each other in the team championship. As drivers it is not important where we are Lewis Hamilton Hamilton also disagreed with the team’s DRS strategy. “I don’t think that was a good idea at all,” he said. “When they suggested it to me I knew that they obviously thought of it from the last race but it made no sense. “I needed to get as far clear as possible. I was on my way, around two seconds ahead and they asked me to give George DRS and I had to come off the gas down the straight. “Then he got overtaken by Sainz. He then got past George and he was right on my tail which was not ideal.” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was absent for this race due to knee surgery, with his role divided among numerous other staff while the Austrian was on the intercom. The team’s lead to Ferrari was cut in the battle for second in the constructors’ championship – which Red Bull clinched at Suzuka with a record six races remaining. Max Verstappen stormed to victory, with McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the podium ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Russell, who lost sixth to Sainz at the death, said he had no hard feelings over the battle with Hamilton. “The main goal is to finish P2 in the constructors’ championship,” Russell said. “The drivers’ championship is out of the window for me totally. Lewis is in a good place to fight for a good position. “The goal is to finish ahead of Ferrari this season and keep on working for next year. No issues on my side. “I viewed it as good, hard racing. Of course we lost a bit of overall time fighting each other. You are a bit frustrated on the radio but that is just part of racing. “We are not even going to discuss it, there is nothing to discuss. We have bigger fish to fry which is how do we make the car go quicker.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice

Max Verstappen moved to within range of a hat-trick of world titles by returning to winning ways at the Japanese Grand Prix as Red Bull clinched the constructors’ championship. The Dutchman backed up his searing pace in qualifying by easing to victory by a massive 19.387 seconds a week on from seeing his record 10-race winning run ended in Singapore. Lando Norris finished second ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton fifth and George Russell seventh for Mercedes. Verstappen has won 13 of 16 rounds this season, extending his lead to 177 points over team-mate Sergio Perez – who endured a miserable afternoon – and he will have the chance to wrap up his third title at the Qatar Grand Prix in two weeks, potentially even in the Saturday sprint by outscoring Perez by three points or more. While it was serene at the front, the race behind was thrilling as Perez was involved in two early collisions before retiring – only to briefly return – and Mercedes team-mates Hamilton and Russell scrapped with each other. Red Bull are the first team in Formula One history to win the team championship with six races to spare as Verstappen’s victory moved the Milton Keynes-based team 318 clear of second-placed Mercedes in the standings. It is Red Bull’s sixth constructors’ title since their debut season in F1 in 2005. Norris predicted after qualifying that if Verstappen led after the 277-metre dash down to turn one, there would be nothing the rest of the field could do. The McLarens put up a strong fight, sandwiching Verstappen as Norris surged around the outside to go second, but the pole-sitter emerged from the first corner ahead. Perez was overtaken by Ferrari’s Singapore winner Carlos Sainz and drifted into Hamilton, forcing the seven-time world champion onto the grass. The safety car was deployed before the end of the first lap due to debris on the track after heavy contact between Valtteri Bottas and Alex Albon. Perez pitted under the safety car on lap three to replace a damaged front wing and fit the hard tyres but re-joined 17th. The race resumed on lap five and Verstappen blasted clear of Norris. Perez’s miserable start continued as he was handed a five-second penalty for overtaking under the safety car as he entered the pits. It soon went from bad to worse as he suffered more front-wing damage in a collision with Kevin Magnussen, forcing him to pit again on lap 13, and was given another five-second penalty for causing the contact. The Mexican was put out of his misery on lap 15 as Red Bull retired the car. Remarkably he was briefly sent back onto the track on lap 40, with the team keen for him to serve his outstanding penalty. Elsewhere it was a story of battling team-mates. Hamilton was soon engaged in a thrilling scrap with Russell, who slid up the inside at the final corner but Hamilton blasted back ahead down the pit straight. The battle soon resumed as Hamilton ran wide and had to defend fiercely against Russell, forcing the 25-year-old off the track at the Spoon Curve. “Who do we want to fight here, each other or the others?” Russell asked his team. Hamilton’s defence was investigated but cleared by the stewards as he pitted first. Meanwhile, Piastri had gained an advantage by pitting just as a virtual safety car was called, leapfrogging Norris after his pit stop. Norris was soon on his team-mate’s gearbox, urging McLaren to act. “The longer I stay behind the worse you are going to make the race for me,” Norris said, adding “What’s he doing?” before McLaren allowed him through. Russell rolled the dice by attempting a one-stop strategy on an afternoon where tyre degradation was an issue for all the teams at a baking hot Suzuka. But he was swallowed up by both McLarens, Charles Leclerc and team-mate Hamilton – with Russell urging his team to get Hamilton to give him DRS to defend from Sainz, as the Spaniard did a week ago to thwart Russell. But Sainz moved past to take sixth as Ferrari gained the edge on Mercedes in the battle for second in the constructors’ standings. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice

Max Verstappen set a blistering pace to blow away the challenge of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and take pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen’s record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season came to an end in Singapore last weekend. The Dutchman topped all three practice sessions at Suzuka to suggest the Milton Keynes-based team had banished the issues that they experienced in the city-state. And Verstappen was imperious around the high-speed corner circuit – where Lewis Hamilton warned the Red Bull would be “phenomenal” – taking pole by a massive 0.581 seconds ahead of Piastri. Follow live updates from the Japanese Grand Prix with The Independent Read More ‘It’s real’: Lewis Hamilton in state of shock after Japanese GP qualifying Max Verstappen storms to Japanese Grand Prix pole ahead of impressive Oscar Piastri AlphaTauri confirm driver pairing for 2024 F1 grid

Lando Norris says Formula One drivers are never operating at 100 per cent and has called on the sport’s rule-makers to make the cars lighter. The McLaren driver, 23, is now in his fifth season in F1 and has emerged as one of the strongest drivers on the grid. But the British star admits he has some frustration with the cars and feels they limit how the drivers can perform. “It is frustrating. It feels like you drive so slow,” Norris said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. “You just feel like you are not driving at 100 per cent. You still have to drive at 95 per cent as well as you can.” “There are still differences between drivers of achieving that, how you drive at 95 per cent. You still see differences between how Lewis (Hamilton) can do it and how a rookie can do it. “You never drive at 100 per cent in the race because if you have one slide you’re done. You are just managing your tyres and your temperatures. “It is just the way things are. I’m sure in other categories it is similar-ish but you just want to be able to race closer. “I would make the cars lighter, as simple as that. You make them quicker by being lighter, you then remove some of the aero stuff which is now what makes them so impressive. “You remove some of that and it stops dirty air as much and then you will be able to follow better.” Regulation changes set to come into effect in 2026 are expected to reduce the weight of the cars and also make the tyres thinner. Norris is hopeful this is the case and believes the onus is on each team to get the car right for when the new rules are introduced. It for this reason that Norris has huge admiration for Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s domination of the sport over the last two seasons, amid criticism that it is bad for F1. “They are doing a better job. That is what F1 is about,” Norris added. “It is not just about the driver; F1 is one of very, very few sports in the world where there is so much talked about the driver but it is very much a team sport.” “It is not just who is the best driver, it does not work like that. It is about the machine and the driver. “That is the competition of F1, it is who can build and design the best cars. At the minute Red Bull are doing it, so hats off to them.” Norris disagrees with the opinion that people will turn away from F1 if Verstappen keeps winning, making the comparison with Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. “People do not find F1 boring,” Norris said. “Of course you want excitement for the win. That is the pinnacle of it, like Lewis against Max in 2021. That is probably the most exciting season in a very, very long time. “When Usain Bolt was winning every race, it’s boring because you want to see a close win. “But do you stop watching that because Bolt is winning? You don’t, you watch it because you are still like, ‘he is doing an amazing job and congratulations to him’. “People shouldn’t stop watching because someone is doing so well.” Read More Max Verstappen storms to Japanese Grand Prix pole ahead of impressive Oscar Piastri Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP A sudden drop off or just a blip? Max Verstappen provides the answer ‘It’s real’: Lewis Hamilton in state of shock after Japanese GP qualifying Max Verstappen storms to Japanese GP pole ahead of impressive Oscar Piastri Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP

Lewis Hamilton admits he is staggered by how far Mercedes are still behind the Red Bulls after Max Verstappen blew away the field to take pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen hit back in style after seeing his record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season ended in Singapore a week ago by finishing a massive 0.581 seconds clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Lando Norris was third in the second McLaren ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez. But Mercedes struggled again, with Hamilton qualifying seventh and George Russell eighth – the seven-time world champion over a second adrift of Verstappen’s pole lap. The Dutchman and Red Bull have dominated the sport over the last two seasons and Hamilton admits the gap that still exists between the two teams is a major concern. “We as a team really need to when we go back and do the debrief – I hope the team already realise – but a second gap is huge. And it is real,” Hamilton said. “To be two years in and still be a second down to the Red Bulls is not a good showing and we need to make sure we work hard over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year. “We have a very peaky car. It is like trying to balance a knife on its tip. “It is never perfectly balanced, it is one way or the other. You try and get it as close as you can to the middle but it is very hard to do each weekend.” Verstappen topped every practice session but Norris and Piastri had closed the gap in P3 to hint at a fight for pole at Suzuka. But it never materialised thanks to Verstappen’s incredible pace on new tyres in the final session. To be two years in and still be a second down to the Red Bulls is not a good showing and we need to make sure we work hard over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year Lewis Hamilton McLaren impressed again – especially Piastri who had never even been to Japan before this week. “It’s been a very good day for us. A P2 and a P3 – a great job by Oscar today and as usual, by Max – but a good day,” Norris said. “I was pretty happy with my laps. It’s a tricky circuit; not easy to put everything together but it’s so quick around here and the smallest mistake can take a big amount of lap time. “I’m happy. It’s been a good day and good positions for tomorrow.” Mercedes are unlikely to be in the fight with Red Bull or McLaren but are set for a scrap with Ferrari as they tussle over second position in the Constructors’ Championship – which Red Bull are almost certain to clinch on Sunday. Leclerc delivered a strong lap for the Scuderia to line up on the second row – although he does face an investigation for exceeding the maximum lap time – while Singapore-winner Carlos Sainz starts sixth. “I hope we can have a good battle with Ferrari tomorrow,” Hamilton said. “They had an upgrade this weekend so they are a little bit ahead of us and it is not an easy track to overtake. “But I am still going to give it everything and hope I can give them a run for their money tomorrow.” Yuki Tsunoda, who was confirmed to be driving for AlphaTauri next season alongside Daniel Ricciardo, delighted his home fans by qualifying ninth. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice

Max Verstappen set a blistering pace to blow away the challenge of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and take pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen’s record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season came to an end in Singapore last weekend. The Dutchman topped all three practice sessions at Suzuka to suggest the Milton Keynes-based team had banished the issues that they experienced in the city-state. And Verstappen was imperious around the high-speed corner circuit – where Lewis Hamilton warned the Red Bull would be “phenomenal” – taking pole by a massive 0.581 seconds ahead of Piastri. Norris had narrowed the gap to Verstappen, who is closing in on a hat-trick of world titles, in final practice to raise hope of a challenge for pole. But Verstappen was dominant in the final qualifying session on brand new tyres, blowing away the competition from the two McLarens. “Incredible weekend so far, especially in qualifying when you can push it to the limit. It felt really nice,” Verstappen said on track. “We had a bad weekend in Singapore. I felt this was going to be a good track. From lap one it has been really nice.” Piastri, in his debut season in Formula One, had never even been to Japan before this week but got the edge on his McLaren team-mate to line up on the front row. Red Bull will almost certainly clinch the Constructors’ Championship on Sunday at the home race of their engine supplier Honda. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished fifth, over seven tenths adrift of the pace-setter. Hamilton and George Russell were well off the pace for Mercedes, who are battling with Ferrari to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship, and will line up seventh and eighth on the grid. Ferrari, who are running a new floor at Suzuka, took fourth via Charles Leclerc, while Singapore-winner Carlos Sainz finished sixth. Yuki Tsunoda was confirmed by AlphaTauri to be driving alongside Daniel Ricciardo in 2024 and delighted his home crowd by making the top-10 shootout, finishing ninth. Q1 was red-flagged with just over nine minutes remaining when Williams’ Logan Sargeant oversteered out of the final corner and slid heavily into the barriers. The American, who is yet to be confirmed by Williams for 2024, quickly jumped out of the car and made his way across the track and back to the pit lane. Williams Team Principal James Vowles told Sky Sports: “It is heartbreaking for Logan.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying

AlphaTauri will retain Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Red Bull’s sister team had a difficult choice between the duo and Liam Lawson, who has impressed filling in for the injured Ricciardo in the last three races. But the New Zealander will return to Red Bull in a reserve role - with Ricciardo’s full-time return to F1 confirmed. Tsunoda, competing at his home race in Japan this weekend, will race with the Faenza outfit for a fourth consecutive season. Eight-time race winner Ricciardo replaced the axed Nyck de Vries after 10 races this season before injuring his hand in Zandvoort. It remains to be seen whether Ricciardo will return in Qatar in two weeks’ time - if so, this weekend at Suzuka would be Lawson’s final race for the team. The 21-year-old achieved the team’s best-finish with ninth at last Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. Read More F1 Japanese Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying updates and times at Suzuka A drop off or just a blip? Max Verstappen provides the answer in Japan practice How to buy tickets for the 2024 British Grand Prix at Silverstone

Max Verstappen is looking to bounce back at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend after his incredible 10-race win streak ended in Singapore following Carlos Sainz’s thrilling victory. The Ferrari driver held off Lando Norris, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages to claim his 2nd Formula 1 victory - and the first non-Red Bull win since Russell’s triumph for Mercedes in Brazil last November. PREVIEW: A sudden drop off or just a blip? Max Verstappen provides the answer Norris earned the ninth podium of his career after coming home second while Russell will be eager to get back in the cockpit after a last-lap crash saw him lose a spot on the podium, taken by Hamilton. Verstappen finished fifth, with Charles Leclerc fourth. Last year at Suzuka - a dramatic race that took place in heavy rain and saw a close call with Pierre Gasly and a recovery vehicle - saw Verstappen’s win clinch his second world title. However, the Dutchman cannot win the 2023 world championship this weekend. Follow live updates from the Japanese Grand Prix with The Independent Read More A sudden drop off or just a blip? Max Verstappen provides the answer Lewis Hamilton says ‘something’s up’ at Red Bull – if Max Verstappen struggles in Japan George Russell insists 2023 has been his ‘best season ever’ despite Singapore crash

Lando Norris raised hopes that he could challenge Max Verstappen for pole at the Japanese Grand Prix by finishing final practice within three tenths of the Red Bull driver. Verstappen’s record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season came to an end in Singapore last weekend. He had set a blistering pace on Friday to suggest the team have put their struggles in the city-state behind them. The Dutchman’s margin in opening practice was a huge 0.626 seconds over Ferrari’s Singapore-winner Carlos Sainz before beating Charles Leclerc by 0.320sec in P2. That raised fears that Verstappen, who is closing in on a hat-trick of world titles, could dominate the weekend in a Red Bull car which Lewis Hamilton predicted would be “phenomenal” around the high-speed corner track at Suzuka. But Norris finished just 0.240 seconds adrift of the 25-year-old and just 0.048 ahead of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri as the British team continued to show strong pace. Mercedes pair Hamilton and George Russell enjoyed a more promising session but remained off the pace of Red Bull and McLaren. Hamilton in particular struggled badly in Friday’s two practice sessions, finishing 16th and 14th, with the seven-time world champion admitting Mercedes had work to do before qualifying. The 38-year-old finished seventh in P3, albeit 0.892sec behind pace-setter Verstappen, with Russell eighth. Mercedes are battling with Ferrari to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship. Ferrari, who are running a new floor at Suzuka, claimed the edge by finishing fifth and sixth but were over half-a-second adrift of the two McLarens. Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull claimed fourth, 0.737sec behind his team-mate. A large number of the teams are struggling with tyre degradation due to the higher-than-usual heat at Suzuka, with a track temperature of over 48 degrees Celsius recorded during P3, raising the possibility of a three-stop race on Sunday. Qualifying gets under way at 1500 local time (0700 BST). Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore

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