London, Oct. 8 (BUS): Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will lead the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday as he tries to win his second consecutive Formula 1 drivers title.
This was Verstappen’s fifth pole this season. However, that has not been decisive for Verstappen, who has won 11 times this season – often starting from a non-pole position.
Verstappen finished first in qualifying on Saturday with the fastest lap of one minute 29.304 seconds at Suzuka. He was followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
Verstappen is guaranteed to win the season’s title if he wins the race on Sunday and also gets an extra point for the fastest spin.
He could also win the championship for the second year in a row without a win depending on the other results.
Even if he fails, Verstappen will likely take the title in two weeks at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. He has a big lead of 104 points over Leclerc with five races remaining, including Sunday’s race.
He is also 106 points ahead of teammate Perez, the only other driver with a mathematical chance of beating him for the season title.
Verstappen had a dominant season. He has already won 11 times, and if he gets two more it will match the record set in the victories of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. Both won 13 in one season.
Sunday’s race result could quickly be overshadowed on Monday when the FIA - Formula 1’s governing body – is expected to rule if a team violated last season’s maximum spending rules.
insult