Sebastian Vettel claimed pole position during Sunday morning’s rescheduled qualifying session for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, setting a new track record at Suzuka.
Vettel posted two laps quick enough for top spot in Q3 as he claimed his fifth pole at the venue – and first since 2012 – and his second pole of the year.
It ensured Ferrari’s fifth straight pole in succession, while Charles Leclerc finished second to seal a front-row lock-out for the team for a second race in a row.
Mercedes set the pace in Q2 but its challenge fell short in Q3 as Valtteri Bottas wound up third, with Lewis Hamilton fourth, albeit within a quarter of a second of Vettel.
On Friday it was confirmed that all of Saturday’s track action at Suzuka would be cancelled in anticipation of Typhoon Hagibis – the strongest of the year – striking the region.
The storm’s track ultimately altered slightly and brought high winds and substantial rainfall to regions slightly North East of Suzuka, meaning the circuit fortunately escaped unharmed.
Warm and sunny conditions prevailed on Sunday morning, with a dry track surface greeting the drivers, ensuring the session could begin on time, but strong lingering winds played a role.
All of the leading contenders safely made it through to Q3, with first-on-track Mercedes – 1-2 in Q2 – laying down a benchmark, albeit with both Bottas and Hamilton going slower than their Q2 times.
The pursuing Ferrari drivers made strides from session to session and, after Leclerc went top, Vettel went a further three-tenths clear, setting a new circuit record.
Leclerc went first for the second Q3 runs and moved to within a tenth of Vettel, though the four-time World Champion improved further.
His time of 1:27.064s – another new track record – left him 0.187s clear of his young team-mate, as he finished ahead in qualifying for the first time since June’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Bottas and Hamilton found time on their second Q3 efforts but remained third and fourth, marking the first time in 2019 that Hamilton has been outside the top three on the grid.
Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon set identical lap times in Q3 though the team was out of the challenge for pole position, finishing almost eight-tenths down.
Verstappen will start ahead on account of setting the time before Albon.
Carlos Sainz Jr. was seventh, in front of team-mate Lando Norris, as McLaren yet again led the midfield scrap, while Pierre Gasly and Romain Grosjean capped the top 10.
Antonio Giovinazzi was the faster of the Alfa Romeo drivers as he classified 11th, a tenth and two places clear of Kimi Raikkonen, with the pair sandwiched by Racing Point’s Lance Stroll.
It marked the third race in a row that Giovinazzi has out-qualified Raikkonen.
Daniil Kvyat was 14th and was the only Honda-powered representative not to make it through to the top 10.
Renault, which was off the pace during practice on Friday, endured a dismal session.
Nico Hulkenberg made it through to Q2 but was slowest after the first runs and reported a power steering issue and gearshift complaints on his second out lap.
Hulkenberg was informed that “we have a major problem” and returned to the pits, bringing his session to a premature close.
Renault confirmed shortly afterwards that the German had suffered a loss in hydraulic pressure.
Daniel Ricciardo, a Q3 runner at the last four races, could manage only 16th as he dropped out in Q1, sternly radioing “I’ll give comments once I get back” as he returned to the pits.
Racing Point’s Sergio Perez was off the pace in a lacklustre 17th, edging Williams’ George Russell by just 0.020s, the pair some six-tenths away from challenging for Q2.
Neither Kevin Magnussen nor Robert Kubica set a timed effort after making similar errors in Q1, causing the session to be suspended for their respective offs.
Magnussen spun through the final corner and suffered a rear-end impact into the barriers, but was able to extricate the car from the gravel and drive it – with a broken rear wing and half a missing front wing – back to the pit lane.
Kubica ran wide through the left-hand acceleration zone leading onto the pit straight as he began his first timed lap and speared into the barriers, causing substantial damage to the left-hand-side of the car.
Both teams now face a quick recovery job if their respective cars are to be fixed in time for the race, given the short turnaround time.
Sunday’s 53-lap race is scheduled for 14:10 local time
