Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 17, Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan, Practice
Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 17…

F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023 - Qualifying: As it happened

It's qualifying day for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. Follow all of the F1 action here with the Crash.net live blog.

23 Sep 2023
08:23
That's qualifying over

One of Verstappen's best qualifying laps to put him on pole by nearly 0.6s.

Should be a close race for the podium between the McLarens, Leclerc and Perez.

Join us tomorrow from 6am for the race at Suzuka!

08:15
Top 10

Verstappen on pole ahead of Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Tsunoda and Alonso.

08:14
Verstappen improves

A 1m28.877s for Verstappen as Leclerc slots into fourth; Sainz fifth. 

08:11
All 10 cars on track

Here we go then... 

08:10
Russell into fourth

On a new set of tyres, he goes fourth for Mercedes.

Alonso only sixth.

08:06
Big lap from Verstappen

A 1m29.012s for Verstappen. 

0.4s ahead of Piastri.

08:03
Q3 underway

New tyres for Verstappen, Norris and Piastri.

Used for the rest.

07:55
Out in Q2

Lawson, Gasly, Albon, Ocon and Magnussen.

07:53
Leclerc goes fastest

A 1m29.940s for the Ferrari driver.

Sainz into third, a tenth off.

07:53
In the bottom five

Lawson, Alonso, Ocon, Gasly and Magnussen.

07:51
Into the final three minutes

Albon into seventh now, 0.573s off Verstappen.

07:47
Order

Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Perez, Tsunoda, Leclerc, Sainz, Russell, Hamilton, Lawson, Alonso, Ocon, Gasly, Albon and Magnussen.

07:45
Red Bull 1-2

Perez slots into second, 0.4s off his teammate.

Current top 10: Verstappen, Perez, Leclerc, Sainz, Russell, Hamilton, Lawson, Ocon and Gasly.

07:44
Leclerc into second

A 1m30.456s for Leclerc, 0.5s off Verstappen.

07:42
Verstappen

A 1m29.964s for Verstappen - looks like he was on used tyres as well.

07:39
Q2 underway

Verstappen and Albon take to the track.

07:32
Chequered flag

Bottas, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Zhou and Sargeant are all out in Q1.

07:31
Into the final moment

Bottas, Hulkenberg, Sargeant, Albon and Gasly in the bottom five.

07:29
Traffic

A busy track for the final moments of Q1.

Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc and Sainz still in the pit lane.

07:27
Ferraris

Third and fifth for the two Ferraris. Leclerc is 0.5s off, losing 0.3s in the first sector.

07:23
News from the FIA

Incident involving Leclerc, Zhou and Bottas - failing to follow race director's instructions (maximum lap time).

07:22
Q1 back underway

Leclerc and Sainz are the first cars out there on softs.

07:18
Q1 will resume in four minutes

Bottas, Hulkenberg, Sargeant, Albon and Gasly in the drop-zone.

07:16
No times so far

Leclerc, Sainz, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Sargeant, Albon and Gasly - no times on the board currently.

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