Although Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez dominated on Saturday at Suzuka, the data reveals just how much of an advantage they had over the pursuing group.
The two Red Bull drivers were separated from the other nine constructors in Japan by a mere 0.066 seconds, but they still had a significant lead. This is what a thorough analysis of the data reveals.
Streets ahead were Red Bull, but there could have been even more
Extra information provided by Pablo Hidalgo
In nearly every aspect, Red Bull outperforms their rivals. Red Bull appeared to have 0.154 seconds remaining in the race, but Verstappen finished 0.430 seconds ahead of P3 (Lando Norris).
Red Bull won every sector with the fastest time, despite the fact that this did not occur during the driver’s two flying laps. Perez was the best in sector two, but Verstappen was the fastest in sectors one and three.
The gap between the Red Bull drivers was the second lowest on the grid, beaten only by the 0.059 seconds separating Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo.
Max Verstappen gains the advantage due to Sergio Perez’s late braking.
Regarding how Verstappen overtook Perez, it was evident during their fast laps that the latter tended to brake later than his teammate.
In general, Verstappen’s style gave him the advantage, though this also explains how he was able to gain more traction coming out of the final corner.
Regarding other comparisons, Verstappen outperformed Lando Norris in terms of traction and acceleration in sector two and was able to shift up a gear in the slower corners of the course, with the exception of the final chicane.
Segment one sees McLaren excel.
Regarding the other constructors, McLaren has been strong in sector one all weekend and appears ready to dominate come race day. Lando Norris finished 0.023 seconds behind Verstappen’s record time of 30.8 seconds.
Oscar Piastri, in contrast, completed that section of the track in 30.837 seconds, placing him third in the rankings and ahead of Perez.
The big winners from 2023 and 2024 are Aston Martin.
Comparing times between this year and last year can be a little misleading because Suzuka has moved up in the calendar, but one statistic that is comparable is the team lap differences.
In that sense, Fernando Alonso felt at ease with the new improvements, and Aston Martin emerged victorious, shaving an incredible 1.779 seconds off their 2023 time.
Red Bull’s 2023 time reduction, which was the smallest margin of error at 0.680 seconds, is another positive indicator that the grid is getting closer.
While Haas and Mercedes both dropped more than a second, Stake was yet another significant improvement.
Lance Stroll stays well clear of Fernando Alonso, and Haas battles show to be the most level on the grid.
Regarding the drivers’ positions relative to their teammates, Ricciardo was only 0.059 seconds behind Tsunoda, but more importantly, he secured a Q3 position.
Although that was the smallest difference in the field, the biggest one shouldn’t come as a surprise because Alonso was 1.338 seconds faster than Lance Stroll, giving him a 4-0 season lead.
Esteban Ocon, who has found some performance in the Alpine car, is another man with a 4-0 lead. Valtteri Bottas, Tsunoda, and Albon have also not yet lost to their teammate.
The two who are level on two apiece are the Haas pair.
The fastest person on the track for a short while was Nico Hulkenberg.
When it came to peak speeds, Nico Hulkenberg of Haas drove the fastest at any given moment, clocking in at 238 kph, while Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon both reached 326 kph.
The lowest speed on the grid was 319 kph, recorded by Oscar Piastri, Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen, the pole sitter, reached 324 kph.
As for the speed traps, Hulkenberg topped them in traps one and three while Logan Sargeant was the surprise name at the top of the second speed trap times.
The small field in back of Red Bull
Apart from the leaders Red Bull, there is fierce competition among the teams as McLaren, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Mercedes battle it out for position.
Ferrari braked earlier than anyone else on the final sector, which was too difficult for them. A comparison of the best sectors reveals that they are actually losing time there.
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