Uncontrolled grass fires disrupt Japanese Grand Prix qualifying session, with Max Verstappen accomplishing a fresh lap record.
Fiery Chaos at the Japanese Grand Prix
Once again, the Japanese Grand Prix was marred by grass fires during the weekend's sessions, with three separate blazes causing havoc on Saturday.
The dramatic scenes followed Friday's practice session, which saw four red flags – two due to tracksides fires caused by sparks from the cars' skid blocks landing on the dry grass. Despite quick extinguishing efforts by race marshals, the issue persisted.
In response, Formula One's governing body, the FIA, took pre-emptive measures for the following day's sessions. The grass was cut and loose, dried grass removed, and the grass dampened around the track. Special response teams were stationed around the circuit. Yet, fires continued on Saturday, notably at the exit of the 130R corner, forcing a six-minute suspension.
The air temperature on Saturday was 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) in Suzuka, but track temperatures soared as high as 102 degrees (39 degrees Celsius), potentially exacerbating the issue.
This is not the first time trackside fires have disrupted a Formula One event. Last year's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai was halted due to a fire during a practice session.
With rain forecast for Sunday, officials hope the race itself will remain unaffected.
Max Verstappen clinched pole position by a razor-thin 0.012 seconds from Lando Norris in the final lap. Verstappen has now finished first in four consecutive qualifying sessions at Suzuka, setting a new track record of 1:26.983.
Verstappen's new teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, qualified in 15th place in his first outing for Red Bull, one spot behind Liam Lawson, whose seat he took after Lawson was demoted just two races into the season. Both drivers later moved one spot up on the grid following Carlos Sainz's three-place penalty for blocking Lewis Hamilton in qualifying.
Despite the challenges posed by grass fires, the show must go on in Formula One racing.
Motorsport once again faced a setback at the Japanese Grand Prix, with multiple fires causing disruptions during the racing sessions. The Grand Prix trackside scenes were characterized by fiery chaos, a recurring issue that even pre-emptive measures failed to fully address. Despite the rain forecast for the upcoming race day, the memory of last year's disrupted Chinese Grand Prix due to fires lingers ominously in the minds of the racing community.
