Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Japanese Grand Prix. After the race in Singapore, the Grand Circus makes its second stop in Asia, where the 2022 world champion could be met.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull), outstanding leader of the championship, will have in his hands the second opportunity to leave the title mathematically sentenced at the legendary Suzuka circuit, in the eighteenth grand prix of the year, after letting the first opportunity slip away.
The classification of the Japanese Grand Prix is held this Saturday, October 8 at eight in the morning Spanish time and will be broadcast by DAZN, a platform also available by Movistar. The La Vanguardia website will also show live what happens during the test that will outline the starting grid.
The Red Bull driver is set to win his second consecutive drivers' title, and it is likely to come on Sunday in a race that is forecast to rain. Both of Friday's free practice sessions were held in a steady drizzle, although Saturday's qualifying is expected to be dry on the classic figure-eight circuit in central Japan.
"I think realistically Max will be champion, if not this weekend it will be very, very soon," said Leclerc, second, who is 104 points behind Verstappen with five races to go, including Suzuka. His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez sits at 106.
If Verstappen wins on Sunday and also gets the bonus point for fastest lap, that would give him 26 points and he would be the champion. He could also win the title with a lesser result, depending on how the others finish. If not, it is sure to be resolved in two weeks at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. "It would be great if it happened here," said Verstappen, who says he doesn't think "too much" about the championship.
Verstappen has dominated the entire season, with 11 wins from 17 races. The Singapore GP a week ago was the exception, where the Dutchman finished seventh. He called it a "very messy weekend" on the street circuit. "We all know it was a bad weekend, but we've also shown this year that we've had a lot of very good weekends. So we know how to do it."
"Winning at Suzuka would be special. The track is operated by automaker Honda. Red Bull and sister team AlphaTaura run on Honda-designed engines, and the race is officially called the "Honda Japanese Grand Prix." The Japanese manufacturer dropped out formally F1 after last season but still supports both teams.
Around 190,000 followers are expected over the weekend, with 90,000 on Sunday. "It's a circuit that is among the top five for probably all of us," said Fernando Alonso, who dominated free practice in the morning session in the country of the rising sun.
