Checo Pérez will look for his first podium in Japan from the fourth drawer and against the two Ferrari
The Mexican Czech Perez will start from the fourth position of the Japanese Grand Prix after a classification that turned into a direct fight between Red Bull y Ferrari and in which the pole position winner was the Dutchman Max Verstappen with a 1:29.304.
From Q1 the Red Bull They didn’t wait long to get out on the track and the Mexican achieved the best time on his first lap with a 1:30.622 and was only quickly surpassed by Max Verstappen.
Czech Perez was found at a distance of almost 4 tenths with a Verstappen who was planted in first place from his first opportunity, while in second and third place they were placed Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclercrespectively.
Consolidated in the first places, the Mexican remained in the pits during the second half of the first qualy and finished it in fifth position.
Para la Q2 Red Bull and the rest of the grid repeated the formula by starting on the soft compound and with 10 minutes to go he jumped to fourth position with a time of 1:30.702, but this was not enough, as he began to drop rapidly and five minutes later he was in eighth position. Only two tenths separated him from staying in the qualifying zone with elimination.
The team decided to mount the new soft tires to give the possibility to Czech Perez to improve your time and move on smoothly to the next session.
For his last lap, the Mexican began to set the best times in the first sector and sector two to finish the lap perfectly when he dropped below 1:30. The one from Guadalajara achieved a 1:29.925 and finished in first place.
Checo came out with full confidence to get the first position in Q2 and for the final round the Mexican came out on the first lap competing directly against the Ferrari drivers. In this fight Checo was placed in his first launched lap in third position with 1:29.994.
The last lap of Sergio Perez he was no better losing time in sector two and three and the lap finished him fourth with a 1m29.709s, a time that was no better on his first opportunity.
Checo will fight directly on the starting grid with Carlos Sainzwho finished in third place, while Charles Leclerc He finished in second place.