Verstappen claimed pole position, thanks to a stellar effort in Q3, while Sergio Perez claimed third – only to be demoted to sixth due to blocking Nico Hulkenberg in Q1.
With Verstappen sidelined so early in the race, Perez wasn’t able to rescue Red Bull’s day as a wayward tear-off strip got trapped under his floor and sapped his car of critical downforce in the second half of the race.
But, despite their travails that resulted in Helmut Marko declaring that he was happy the question of whether Red Bull might win every single race had been nullified so early in the year, former F1 driver turned broadcaster Timo Glock believes Japan will see a crushing display from Verstappen.
The Dutch driver bounced back from the disappointment of his Singapore GP struggles last year to claim the race in Suzuka in dominant fashion, coming home 20 seconds clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris, and Glock has backed Verstappen to respond similarly this year.
“With Dr. Helmut Marko’s smile, he knows for sure that Max will regain his old strength with the car in Japan,” Glock said in his expert column for Sky Germany ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
