F1 Japanese Grand Prix LIVE: Race updates and times at Suzuka

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.

“The first lap was pretty solid, I was pretty happy with it. Happy to end it in P2, it’s been a really good weekend for the team so far. Updates on the car are quick. Happy to be second and third, very happy.

“It’s first time I’ve started on the front row in a while, only one car to overtake so I’ll try and make that happen.”

Weekend preview by Kieran Jackson

What made last Sunday’s pulsating Singapore Grand Prix so captivating was a genuine battle at the front: a battle for first, from lights out to the chequered flag. But it was only made possible by a clanger of a weekend from runaway constructors leaders Red Bull, whose perfect win-streak in 2023 came to an abrupt end amid the tight twists and turns of the city-state. Yet briskly onto Japan, a more conventional racetrack, would the status quo be restored?

It certainly seems so. Judging by initial signs from Friday practice at Suzuka – a driver-favourite on the calendar due to its heart-shredding high-speed corners – it would be a major shock if Max Verstappen did not claim his 11th win in 12 races come Sunday. The flying Dutchman, closing in on the home-straight in his irrepressible march to a hat-trick of world titles, was fastest in both free practice sessions. And by some distance too.

Six-tenths of a second in FP1, narrowed down to three-tenths by FP2. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris, in consistency unexpected from practice, were the next-best in both sessions.

4) Aston Martin – 217 points

9) Alfa Romeo – 10 points

10) AlphaTauri – 5 points

Analysis by Kieran Jackson

The twitchiness on the Ferrari pit wall was palpable. With five laps to go at the end of Sunday’s thrilling Singapore Grand Prix, less than two seconds separated race leader Carlos Sainz, in first, from Lewis Hamilton in fourth. McLaren’s Lando Norris, in second, was closing in, within the critical one-second DRS range. The warning from Sainz’s race engineer Riccardo Adami was quick: “Lando, 0.8 (seconds) behind with DRS.”

But the Spaniard was a step ahead, deploying a meticulous balancing act which ultimately secured his second Formula One victory. “Yeah, it’s on purpose,” he replied. At which point it all made sense.

For a team chasing its first victory in over a year, often maligned for their clangers in the strategy department, all it took was a clear sense of thought and direction from the driver in the cockpit. Sainz was not overly concerned with Norris’ pace behind him. On the contrary, the double threat posed by Mercedes’ George Russell and Hamilton, lapping over a second-a-lap quicker on fresh tyres in third and fourth, was the main focus of his thinking.

What a fine balancing act it was. Keep Norris close enough behind him – one second – to give him a crucial speed boost on the straights to defend from Russell, but not so close that Norris himself could make a move for the top spot. In the end, it was a masterstroke which worked to perfection.

1) Max Verstappen – 374 points

2) Sergio Perez – 223 points

3) Lewis Hamilton – 180 points

4) Fernando Alonso – 170 points

5) Carlos Sainz – 142 points

6) Charles Leclerc – 123 points

7) George Russell – 109 points

8) Lando Norris – 97 points

9) Lance Stroll – 47 points

10) Pierre Gasly – 45 points

11) Oscar Piastri – 42 points

12) Esteban Ocon – 36 points

13) Alex Albon – 21 points

14) Nico Hulkenberg – 9 points

15) Valtteri Bottas – 6 points

16) Zhou Guanyu – 4 points

17) Yuki Tsunoda – 3 points

18) Kevin Magnussen – 3 points

19) Liam Lawson – 2 points

20) Logan Sargeant – 0 points

21) Nyck de Vries – 0 points

22) Daniel Ricciardo – 0 points

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.

Good morning! It’s bright and early this weekend for the F1 as we take to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix!

Max Verstappen starts on pole with the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris second and third on the grid.

Follow all the build-up right here with The Independent – lights out is at 6am (BST)!