JAPANESE GRAND PRIX LIVE - MCLARENS CHASE BACK-ON-FORM VERSTAPPEN IN SUZUKA

After a 'horrendous' practice Friday, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes made some effective changes overnight but still couldn't exceed P7 in qualifying. 'Unfortunately, we are just not quick enough,' Hamilton admitted.

'We are a long way away on rear downforce so that’s why we are so slow in the first sector. To close that gap for next year, at this point to still be a second down on the track like this is definitely worrying for us as a team.'

Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton's teammate George Russell said: 'Maybe we can find an opportunity with the strategy; it will be at least a two-stop race which is always quite fun and gives some different opportunities.'

Flying high after their Singapore GP win last week, Ferrari were brought back to the ground in Japan with Charles Leclerc admitting that 'we don't really have the performance to do better' post qualifying. The Monegasque driver 'put everything together' in his Q3 lap to secure fourth, conceding that it was the maximum on offer.

'I think both Red Bulls are much quicker in the race. (...) I expect Checo [Perez] to come back,' Leclerc said. 'The McLarens are very similar to us in terms of race pace, so if we don't overtake them at the start, it's going to be difficult to pass them on track.'

Singapore victor Carlos Sainz meanwhile struggled with some set-up issues and, after two consecutive pole positions, had to settle for P6. 'I think we’ve been trying a lot of things, trying to put the car a bit more on a sweet spot for this kind of track, but in the end probably we ended up getting a bit lost and having to come back to a more basic set-up,' he explained.

McLaren are looking in excellent form in Japan with P2 and 3 on the grid for Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris respectively. 'We’ve got upgrades on the car, and they are quick,' Piastri said. 'I thought we might have a decent chance around here, but still got to make it happen. [It's the] first time I’ve started on the front row for a while. It will be cool, there’s only one car ahead to overtake so I’ll try and make that happen.'

Norris added: 'Some of the most amazing McLaren stories have come here in Japan; we want to continue that tradition, but it’s going to be difficult. Max is doing a very good job. Red Bull is doing a very good job. We will do our best to make their life difficult and have a good race.'

Having been disenchanted in Singapore, Max Verstappen was back at his best in yesterday's qualifying and bagged pole position in dominant fashion. The championship leader was just under six tenths ahead of Oscar Piastri who, inspired by his recent McLaren contract renewal, secured his best-ever qualifying and became the first rookie to start from the front row since 2017. It was a good day all around for McLaren with Lando Norris finishing P3.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton has work to do from seventh on the grid, starting just ahead of his teammate George Russell.

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Good morning and thank you for joining our live text coverage of the 2023 F1 Japanese Grand Prix. Max Verstappen and Red Bull are back on pole and keen to make their Singapore chagrin a thing of the past, but the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are in close pursuit from P2 and 3 - will they manage to get the better of the championship leader in Suzuka?