Scuderia Ferrari locked out the front row in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix that starts at 14.10 local, (7.10 CET). It’s the 65th all-Ferrari front row and the team’s 227th pole, the eight this year, Sebastian Vettel’s second of the season after Canada. Team-mate Charles Leclerc starts alongside the German.
Q1 and Q2. Sebastian and Charles twice had to abort their runs as the session was red flagged on two occasions, when Robert Kubica and Kevin Magnussen went off at the final corner. The Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow drivers needed just one run to get through to Q2. Leclerc did a 1.28.405 and Vettel a 1.28.988. They also took just one run in Q2 to get through to the final top ten shoot out. Sebastian posted a 1.28.174, five thousandths faster than Charles’ 1.28.179.
Q3. Both men ran Softs again in the final part of qualifying, each of them using two new sets. Leclerc was first out with a 1.27.535, before Vettel posted a fantastic 1.27.212, which was a new track record. Both drivers improved on their second run: Charles in 1.27.253 to go second with Sebastian lowering the track record to 1.27.064.
Mattia Binotto, Team Principal. “It’s very important to have got both our cars on the front row in qualifying in Suzuka. We haven’t done it since 2006 and it’s definitely a good start to the day. However, it’s this afternooon’s race that counts, so we must stay focussed and get on with the job in hand. We have made a step forward compared to Friday, running less rear wing to try and get more speed down the straights, which also helped with the car balance.”