Perez vs Verstappen and a seven-car fight for the podium – What To Watch For in the Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull locked out the front row for the Japanese Grand Prix, but both drivers have reservations about their race pace – and there are threats directly behind, so here are a few key topics to keep an eye out for on race day at Suzuka…

1. Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez

Let’s focus on the front row first, because it was a remarkably close qualifying battle between the two Red Bull team mates on Saturday. Max Verstappen was in scintillating form here last year while Sergio Perez was enduring a tough run, but on this occasion there was just 0.066s between them.