Verstappen Sets Blistering Lap for Pole: Max Verstappen delivered a stunning final lap in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, snatching pole position from McLaren’s Lando Norris by a mere 0.012 seconds. His lap of 1:26.983 also established a new outright lap record at the Suzuka circuit.
McLaren Duo Close Behind: Lando Norris looked set to take pole with his final effort, but Verstappen’s incredible lap denied him the top spot. Oscar Piastri secured third place for McLaren, making it an incredibly tight top three with just 0.040 seconds separating them.
Verstappen Overcomes Balance Issues: Despite struggling with the balance of his Red Bull RB21 throughout the weekend, Verstappen managed to extract a phenomenal lap in Q3. He described his final attempt as “sending it and hoping it would stick,” highlighting the commitment required for such a lap around Suzuka.
Q1 Highlights: Piastri initially set the pace in Q1, but Norris and Leclerc soon moved to the top. Piastri ultimately reclaimed P1. Verstappen progressed to Q2 in sixth place. Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Ocon, Doohan, and Stroll were eliminated. Stroll had an off on his final lap.
Q2 Drama and Fire: Verstappen led the way in Q2 early on, but Norris then took the top spot. The session was briefly red-flagged due to a grass fire at the 130R corner. Norris and Russell opted not to run again after the restart. Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Lawson, and Tsunoda were knocked out.
Q3 Showdown: In the first runs of Q3, Piastri provisionally took pole. Verstappen was second, and Norris was fifth. In the final runs, Russell made a mistake, ending his chances. Norris set a strong lap, appearing to have secured pole, but Verstappen’s incredible final effort stole the top spot at the very end.
Verstappen’s Thrill of the Limit: Verstappen expressed his happiness after the session, noting the constant effort to improve the car’s balance. He described his pole-winning lap as being “very good” and enjoyable, pushing the limits around the challenging Suzuka circuit.
Qualifying Results:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) 1:26.983
- Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) +0.012
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) +0.044
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.316
- George Russell (Mercedes) +0.335
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.572
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) +0.586
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.627
- Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) +0.632
- Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) +0.884
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) +0.839
- Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) +0.853
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) +0.914
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) +0.923
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) +1.017
- Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) +1.587
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) +1.639
- Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) +1.713
- Jack Doohan (Alpine/Renault) +1.894
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) +2.288
