Verstappen, to be crowned on the stage of the greats

All eyes, this weekend more than ever, are on the Red Bull box. Not only because their collaboration with Honda will be more evident as it is the Japanese GP, but also because Sunday is an almost perfect occasion for them to end the party. Max Verstappen didn’t have it as easy last weekend in Singapore as this one. In fact, it was his worst result of the year of the races that ended (tied with Silverstone) when he entered seventh and saw how the only two drivers who mathematically have options, his teammate Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc, finished first and second.

Now in Suzuka, scene of legendary battles and resolutions of championships long ago, it serves him with something relatively simple for him: win and make the fastest lap. That is the direct option to sing the alirón, although it would be worth it to be first without the need for that extra point as long as Leclerc does not enter the podium.

Without victory, the scenarios are more complex. It would be worth it for Leclerc to be fifth to delay a little more what seems unavoidable, something that, except for the umpteenth failure of Ferrari, is relatively predictable. Therefore, Verstappen does not want to speculate and asks only what he tries to show in every turn he makes: perfection. Given what happened in Marina Bay, where the team failed in qualifying and then he failed in the race (something quite unusual), he is clear that there is no room for error in Japan.

“I need a perfect weekend to win the title, that’s for sure. You learn from failures, but there is nothing that needs to change in the team. We all know it was a bad weekend. But we have also shown this year that we have had other very good ones, so we know how to do it. I would like to win here, at Honda’s home, because it would make it a little more special. And it was also a shame that we couldn’t be here last year due to the pandemic, when I was also in the fight for the title. I was really looking forward to coming back here. And we will see what happens, “said the great candidate.

You won’t be able to get confused in the slightest. Both Leclerc and Pérez have the healthy intention of disputing the title until the last moment, and the entry of other actors on the scene, such as Carlos Sainz, in need of vindication after his bad weekend in Singapore or the always lurking George Russell and Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, they will have a lot to say.

Alonso does not bite his tongue

Another who wants to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth due to what happened in Marina Bay is Fernando Alonso. After the start of a disappointing season, the Asturian chained ten consecutive grand prix in points… before chaining two retirements in the last two races. While he warms up to get into the Aston Martin (in Japan he was seen getting into a simulator in which he chose a green team car), he will have to keep putting up with Alpine.

The French team made a fool of itself in Singapore, with a double retirement, so they need to add yes or yes to neutralize McLaren’s comeback, which has dropped them from fourth place after their best weekend of 2022. Alonso does not hide his disappointment with the team: if they arrive with engine problems it’s because they chose badly when to penalize… because they will have to do it again sooner or later. “We have lost a lot of points and now, unfortunately, we are behind in the fight with McLaren. I hope we will have five normal final races, but it has been our weak point this year. We’re not sure until the end of the year, so we may have to introduce a power unit. I don’t think it’s this weekend. But… soon”, lamented the Spaniard.

Alonso also took a position on the great controversy these days, the alleged illegality of Red Bull and Aston Martin by skipping the budget limit accepted by all. An investigation that, somewhat suspiciously, will not be closed with the conclusions until after the race in Japan. Although he has been very critical of them in the past, the Asturian driver fully positions himself with the FIA ​​and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, whom he has known for years. “Off the track, I have complete confidence in what they are doing and what the outcome will be next week with the cost ceiling and how the sport moves into the future. I have no doubt », he affirmed, and asked for some fairness and justice. “I guess we all expect the FIA ​​to keep as good an eye on all these things as we want to race in a fair environment and stuff,” he implicitly requested.