Verstappen wants to sentence the title in the return of Suzuka

The one from Red Bull leads Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) by 104 points and would be champion if he gets eight points more than the Monegasque this Sunday

MADRID, 6 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has a new opportunity at the Japanese Grand Prix, eighteenth round of the calendar, on the Suzuka track and returning to the World Championship after two years of hiatus due to the pandemic, this time more favorable than in Singapore, to proclaim himself champion and lift his second consecutive title.

His wide cushion over the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), allowed him to give himself the license to be seventh in Marina Bay last weekend - the first race he had not won since the summer break - and continue to outperform the 'Scuderia' driver at 104 points. This makes it possible for a win and the bonus point from the fastest lap around the Suzuka circuit to be enough to clinch the title.

And it is not something complicated, considering that it would be the twelfth time that Hasselt's man has popped the champagne on top of the podium in 18 races. An absolute domain that gave him, a few dates ago, the status of premature champion that he must now confirm. His superiority, at least this season, is already accepted within the 'paddock', that he could only watch and wait until the Dutchman's second crown came in a season with more equality, which in practice has not been such.

In the event that 'Mad Max' does not achieve victory this Sunday, what he would need to face the last four races already with the title under his arm is to add eight points more than the Monegasque and six more than his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez. That is to say, if the Dutchman, for example, closed the podium, his title would require a seventh place from Leclerc.

However, Verstappen is aware that he will need "a perfect weekend" in Japan to get the loot. "It doesn't really change anything (being able to be champion at Suzuka); I need a perfect weekend to be able to win the title here, but to be honest, I'm not really thinking about it too much," he confessed from the Japanese track, a circuit that brings back good memories.

The Dutchman got into a Formula 1 car for the first time in Japan. On October 3, 2014, when he was still a Formula 3 driver, he took the seat of Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro-Rosso during the first free practice session. At 17 years and three days old, he became the youngest driver in history to ride in a competition session. However, he has never won at Suzuka, taking two second places as his best result.

With the drivers' title ruled out except for a miracle, Ferrari is still determined to make a good final stretch of the calendar. In Singapore, with not very favorable conditions, Leclerc and Sainz finished second and third, respectively. The objective of the 'Scuderia' will be to ensure that Monegasque runner-up, as well as that of the team in the Constructors' World Championship, led by a Red Bull now surrounded by controversy for allegedly exceeding the budget limit, in which Ferrari leads 66 points to Mercedes, which improved since the break.

In the case of Leclerc (237 points), his biggest threat is 'Checo' Pérez (235), only two points away, the same ones that separate George Russel (Mercedes and 203), fourth in the standings, and Sainz (201) . To achieve this in the final stretch of the calendar, Ferrari must not fail, once again, in reliability, since the comparison with Mercedes is clear. The Italians add five withdrawals, while the British team has only regretted two withdrawals of its drivers in 17 races.

For his part, the rider from Madrid continues with the podium in the World Championship classification between eyebrows, with a final push boosted by his two podiums in the last four races. A faster and more competitive Lewis Hamilton in recent weeks is his main threat, now 32 points behind the Spaniard. His best result in Japan was fifth place in 2019 with McLaren.

Finally, the also Spanish Fernando Alonso (Alpine) will want to make up for his two consecutive retirements in Monza and Singapore, after becoming the driver with the most races (350). A slowdown in his rise in the World Cup, seven points behind his teammate, Esteban Ocon, and 41 behind Lando Norris (McLaren). The Alpine drivers will have to be up to the task in the decisive section to fight for fourth place in the Constructors' World Championship, which is now occupied by the British team with 129 points, four above the French team.

The two-time world champion returns to one of his favorite circuits and where he has won twice (2006 and 2008, with Renault), with fourteenth place as his last result at Suzuka, in 2018 when he was racing for McLaren.

-Friday.

05.00-06.00 Free 1.

08.00-09.00 Free 2.

-Saturday.

05.00-06.00 Free 3.

08.00-09.00 Qualification.

-Sunday.

07.00 Race.