F1 Japan Grand Prix qualifying: Daniel Ricciardo denied top 10 in brutal blow

Daniel Ricciardo was denied a shot at the top 10 by the most heart breaking of margins in qualifying which was marred by a shocking move from Max Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo is unlikely to have a seat in 2023

Daniel Ricciardo will start a disappointing 11th for the Japanese Grand Prix despite looking likely to better his season’s best qualifying.

The Australian, who remains without a contract for next season, was flying in the early stages of the second session at the Suzuka track, but was beaten in the dying moments and ousted from the final term by Sebastian Vettel.

The time margins in Q2 were incredible with just 0.003s between Vettel and Ricciardo.

Ricciardo turned the airwaves blue when told on the radio he had missed Q3.

“We’ll have a good race tomorrow. We’ve got good race pace,” his team said.

“****, I don’t know where it got away,” Ricciardo said.

Looking to secure his second world title this weekend, runaway championship leader Max Verstappen took pole position but found himself in hot water after stewards said they would investigate an incident involving the Dutchman and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Looking to be warming his tyres on an outlap, Verstappen’s zigzagging forced Norris off the track in an incident which could have ended very differently.

Verstappen was on the racing line and had left space for Norris - who was travelling faster - to pass.

Norris was forced onto the grass to avoid hitting Verstappen, with the Red Bull driver muttering “unbelievable” over his team radio before later accusing the McLaren driver of ‘disrespecting’ an apparent gentlemen's agreement.

A reminder of the incident under investigation between Verstappen and Norris: pic.twitter.com/NjPr2mb7vO

— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) October 8, 2022

As the Red Bull started to turn towards the left, Norris was left with no choice but to take evasive action and go off the track.

“I was driving slow but my tyres were cold,” Verstappen said afterwards.

“Lando was trying to pass me and had to avoid me but luckily nothing happened.

“If he was just a bit more respectful then you create a problem by trying to get round.”

Stewards announced on Saturday night (Australian time) they had handed Verstappen a reprimand, allowing him to stay on pole and edging the Dutchman closer to another world title.

A stewards report said the penalty was standard for the offence Verstappen was found to have made, a breach of article 33.4 of the FIA Formula One sporting regulations.

ÚLTIMA HORA: la FIA resuelve el incidente Verstappen-Norris con reprimenda para Max, que mantiene la Pole.#F1#JapaneseGPpic.twitter.com/e2I5LvU0JP

— SoyMotor.com (@SoyMotor) October 8, 2022

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner explained his take on the Norris-Verstappen issue.

“They’re both on outlaps and there’s a gentlemen’s agreement with drivers that at this point of the track you hold on.

“Lando has decided he wants to jump the queue.

“I don’t think Max was blocking I think he was preparing for his lap.

“And Lando did it again on the final run. They’re all doing different things on their outlaps with their tyres.”

Verstappen can clinch the title on Sunday if he wins the race with the fastest lap, no matter what his rivals do.

The Dutchman will also retain his crown if he wins and Leclerc is third or lower.

Norris meanwhile said drivers are free to do whatever they want despite the “gentlemans agreement”.

“There is no rule on doing what you can do, but what he did is something you cannot do.

“Everyone does it (overtake at that corner). For sure (I would expect a penalty).

Experts were adamant the incident warranted a penalty.

“This could have been a huge accident,” Jenson Button said. “He’s breached the guidelines. It’s tricky.”

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen drives

Q3

Max Verstappen is going to be in some trouble after this session. Probably thought he was alone at that stage of the track, went slow, danced around to warm the tyres and in doing so pushed Norris off the track.

Not malicious but the stewards are looking into it and this could be a massive speed bump in his quest for a title.

Elsewhere, Sebastian Vettel is talking on the radio saying his goodbyes to Suzuka, calm down mate you have to race tomorrow!

And what a run form both the Alpines. Terrific to have them both in the top 10 particularly given the double retirement in Singapore.

VERSTAPPEN GETS PROVISIONAL POLE

TOP 10

VERSTAPPEN

LECLERC

SAINZ

PEREZ

OCON

HAMILTON

ALONSO

RUSSELL

VETTEL

NORRIS

Q2

Tell you what, Ricciardo is enjoying a great day, the car going well early in this session after first laps.

The Aussie was fifth at the halfway point with Norris only managing 11th.

And it all went down from there and he’s out in Q2. he was flying. Then, well, just stopped.

Elsewhere, Schumacher is in some hot water for dangerous driving out the pitlane.

OUT

RICCIARDO

BOTTAS

TSUNODA

AHOU

SCHUMACHER

Q2 CLASSIFICATION

The margins in this one were ridiculous! 🤏

0.003s between Alonso and Verstappen
0.001s between Hamilton and Sainz
0.003s between Vettel and Ricciardo

🤯#JapaneseGP#F1pic.twitter.com/0himyS4dud

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 8, 2022

Q1

Don’t forget whatever Latifi does in Japan quali, he has a five place grid penalty going into the race so safe to assume he’s starting from the back.

Both Williams cars out in the first session and on the day he signs his new contract, Pierre Gasly is out early, both AlphaTauri drivers are furious on the radio.

OUT

ALBON

GASLY

MAGNUSSEN

STROLL

LATIFI

RICCIARDO RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS

The likelihood of Daniel Ricciardo being on the F1 grid in 2023 is now slimmer than ever after French driver Pierre Gasly confirmed he will leave Alpha Tauri to replace two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso at Alpine next season.

Dutchman Nyck de Vries, who made his Formula One debut standing in for Williams’ Alex Albon at last month’s Italian Grand Prix, will replace Gasly at Alpha Tauri.

Alpine was the last remaining competitive seat that would have suited Ricciardo who had his McLaren contract town up in September.

Only Haas and Williams are yet to confirm their drivers for next year.

Seemingly the best option now for Ricciardo is to look for a reserve opportunity with an elite team and target a full-time return to the grid in 2024.

The Australian has been spotted inside the Mercedes garage in recent weeks with whispers he will spend next year alongside Lewis Hamilton and George Russell getting louder.

Australia will, at this stage, have just one driver on the grid with Oscar Piastri replacing his compatriot at McLaren.

WHAT HAPPENED IN FP3?

Runaway championship leader Max Verstappen went quickest in the final practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as he attempts to clinch his second straight world title this weekend in Suzuka.

The Red Bull driver blazed round the track in dry conditions with a fastest lap of 1min 30.671sec, 0.294sec clear of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Verstappen can clinch the title on Sunday if he wins the race with the fastest lap, no matter what his rivals do.

The Dutchman will also retain his crown if he wins and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, his nearest challenger, is third or lower.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands

Steady rain put the dampeners on Friday’s practice, with Verstappen pushed back into third in the second session by Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

But he made his presence felt in Saturday’s final practice, changing to soft tyres late in the session to reel off the fastest lap.

Sainz followed him with a quickest time of 1min 30.965sec, ahead of Ferrari teammate Leclerc on 1min 30.980.

The dry conditions are expected to continue for qualifying later Saturday but some showers are forecast for Sunday.

Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, who was quickest in the first practice, was fourth. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was fifth ahead of Russell, who almost crashed into the back of AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly late in the session.

Haas driver Mick Schumacher took part in the final practice after missing Friday’s second session following an earlier crash that wrecked his chassis.

WHY DID GASLY WANT TO MOVE ON?

Gasly, who has been with the Red Bull stable since making his Formula One debut with Toro Rosso in 2017, will line up with countryman Esteban Ocon at Alpine.

Gasly, 26, said it was “emotionally very special” to join the French team, who are locked in a close contest for fourth place with McLaren in this season’s constructors’ championship.

“What motivated me was the development of Alpine over the past three years, their performance constantly improving,” said Gasly, whose only Formula One win came at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.

Pierre Gasly will drive with Alpine next year

“They won their first race last year and this season they have been fighting to be the fourth force. They have a complete package and similar ambitions to mine.” Ocon won last season’s Hungarian Grand Prix to give Alpine their first race victory.

Alonso, 41, will leave the team to join Aston Martin on a multi-year contract, taking the seat vacated by the imminent retirement of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Gasly said he was “happy and impatient” to get started with Alpine.

“As a driver, the most important thing is to be in a car that allows you to show your talent to the fullest,” he said.

“I think with Alpine, I will have the best chance of being able to perform.”

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer said there were three key reasons they wanted Gasly on their books.

“Speed, experience and he’s young,” he said on Sky F1.

“He’s really happy to come to Alpine, our work is different to AlphaTauri he was really keen to come.

“We talked to both drivers before we made the decision and they were happy to work together. They’re professionals, they will work together like any others.”

Gasly will be replaced at Alpha Tauri by de Vries, who claimed 13th place at the Italian Grand Prix standing in for Albon, who came down with appendicitis.

The 27-year-old has won world titles in Formula Two and Formula E and said he was “extremely excited” to join Alpha Tauri.

“I’ve had a lot of chances to experience the 2022 car this year and I think that has put me in a great position for the upcoming season,” said de Vries.

“I hope this has helped to prepare me for what is to come.”

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia

🏁 END OF FP3 🏁

TOP 10
Verstappen
Sainz
Leclerc
Alonso
Perez
Russell
Hamilton
Norris
Ocon
Stroll#JapaneseGP#F1pic.twitter.com/LQalYtX1O0

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 8, 2022

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE TRACK? FP2

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton made it a Mercedes one-two ahead of title-chasing Max Verstappen in a soggy second practice on Friday for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Runaway Red Bull leader Verstappen can clinch his second straight world title on Sunday if he wins the race with the fastest lap, no matter what his rivals do.

The Dutchman will also retain his crown if he wins and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, his nearest challenger, is third or lower.

But Verstappen was beaten to the quickest time in the second practice session by the Mercedes pair, with Russell clocking a fastest lap of 1min 41.935sec.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton followed his fellow Briton 0.235sec behind, with Verstappen coming in third, a sizeable 0.851sec behind Russell.

Leclerc finished 2.774sec behind Russell in 11th.

“It wasn’t a complete disaster with the weather,” said Verstappen. “We could at least get round and do a little bit of stuff, but in terms of knowing where you are with pace, in the wet it’s always a bit tricky.”