During the buildup to the Japanese Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen was lamenting a lack of confidence in the RB21 McLaren seemed to have the dominant package, as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took turns topping the timing sheets.

Four-time world champion Verstappen was in irrepressible form under the floodlights on the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit, grabbing the front of the grid with a 1min 27.294sec lap, one hundredth of a second quicker than Piastri.