SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) - Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen pinned their Japanese Grand Prix hopes on strategy and a quick getaway on Saturday after losing out to champions Mercedes and Ferrari in qualifying. Verstappen, the winner in Malaysia last weekend who was also about a second off Hamilton's pace at Suzuka, said Red Bull were just not as strong this time. The talk heading into the Japanese Grand Prix was of a three-way fight for race wins, with Red Bull potentially acting as kingmakers in the Hamilton versus Vettel title fight. The team’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko even said the outfit now had the best chassis on the grid. "We definitely felt like ours worked better in Malaysia” said Ricciardo, who scored the team’s first win this year in Azerbaijan in June.

Source: The Star October 07, 2017 18:22 UTC