Max Verstappen secured pole position in Suzuka for the third race of the F1 season, beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by a fraction of a second. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, started behind Liam Lawson, who replaced him at Red Bull. The race saw Hamilton starting in eighth place on hard tires while Hadjar impressed by qualifying in seventh despite seatbelt issues. The grid order was shuffled due to penalties, with Sainz moving back three places. Verstappen led most of the race, with Norris and Piastri behind him, while Hamilton had to battle to move up from eighth. Verstappen’s challenge was his car’s gear shifting issues, but he managed to hold off his competitors and secure the victory, his fourth consecutive pole-to-flag win in Suzuka. Other key events included Russell trying to pass Leclerc for fourth place and Hamilton using DRS to overtake Hadjar for seventh. The weather forecast of potential rain added an element of uncertainty to the race, with teams planning one-stop strategies. Overall, the race was a display of Verstappen’s dominance and strategic racing, setting the stage for an exciting and challenging season ahead.
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