Max Verstappen delivered a stunning performance to seize pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, surpassing McLaren`s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Throughout the weekend, it seemed McLaren was set to dominate qualifying, with their drivers previously sharing pole positions and victories in the initial rounds of the 2025 season. However, Red Bull`s Verstappen emerged unexpectedly to outperform them.
Piastri initially led after the first Q3 runs, and Norris then appeared to secure pole on his second attempt. Yet, Verstappen clocked in at 1:26.983, claiming his fourth consecutive Suzuka pole, with the top three drivers finishing within a mere fraction of a second.
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The exceptional nature of Verstappen`s achievement was further highlighted by his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who only managed 15th in his Red Bull debut, finishing behind Liam Lawson, the driver he replaced from Racing Bulls.
The brilliance of Verstappen`s lap was evident in the Red Bull garage`s reaction. His engineer Gianpiero Lambiase called it `insane,` and team principal Christian Horner described it as `unbelievable`.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton was significantly behind his teammate in eighth, continuing a challenging start to his Ferrari career for the seven-time world champion.
Mercedes` George Russell, initially seen as the main challenger to McLaren, ended up fifth after a mistake on his final lap. His rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved a promising sixth place.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar overcame seat-belt concerns expressed earlier in the session to secure seventh place. Alex Albon was ninth for Williams, and British rookie Oliver Bearman impressed by finishing in the top 10 for Haas, reaching Q3.
Carlos Sainz qualified 12th but will start Sunday`s race from 15th due to a grid penalty for impeding Hamilton during Q2.
Japanese GP Qualifying: Top 10
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Lando Norris, McLaren
3) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5) George Russell, Mercedes
6) Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
7) Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
8) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
9) Alex Albon, Williams
10) Oliver Bearman, Haas
Fires Contained as Verstappen Turns Up the Heat
Leading up to qualifying, there were concerns about trackside grass fires causing disruptions, following red flags in previous practice sessions.
Fortunately, only one brief stoppage occurred during qualifying, midway through Q2, which did not significantly alter the competitive landscape.
The anticipated overnight rain might improve the situation, but the FIA will likely maintain preventative measures to ensure the race is not affected.
Instead, it was Verstappen who brought the intensity, maximizing his RB21 to clinch his first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix last June.
Verstappen commented, `We aimed for the best possible balance, which wasn`t easy, but we made small improvements each session.`
`That made the difference. The final lap was all-out, and it`s incredibly satisfying.`
This pole position breaks Verstappen`s recent streak without one since his dominant performance here last year, reminding everyone that he remains a strong contender in a championship battle many predict will be between the McLaren drivers.
`I pushed to the limit on the last lap, and at times, I wasn`t sure I`d stay on track,` Verstappen admitted.
`Considering our season start and even this weekend, this result is quite unexpected and feels very special.`
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner added, `We didn`t anticipate this. Max`s lap was exceptional, one of his best qualifying laps ever.`
`He extracted every bit of performance, and securing pole against the recent trend is a significant boost for the team.`
Verstappen now faces a major challenge to hold off Norris, who is just eight points behind him in the standings, and Piastri, the winner of the previous race in China.
