- SUZUKA — Max
Verstappen pulled off a stunning late lap to take pole position for the 2025
Japanese Grand Prix, denying McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a
nail-biting finish at Suzuka Circuit on Saturday.
-
- Despite struggling for grip early in the session and
reporting issues with tyre performance, the Red Bull ace surged to the top with
a blistering 1m 26.983s lap, just 0.012s quicker than Norris, while Piastri had
to settle for third.
-
- McLaren had dominated the early phases, with Piastri topping
Q1 and Norris leading Q2, and looked set to continue that form in Q3. But
Verstappen’s final run saw him snatch pole away in the dying moments,
reinforcing his dominance despite initial doubts.
Also read: F1''s Japanese GP has storylines that may be as fleeting as the country''s cherry blossoms
-
- Charles Leclerc led the Ferrari charge in fourth, while
George Russell took fifth for Mercedes after a scruffy final effort. Rookie
Kimi Antonelli impressed once again, qualifying sixth in the second Mercedes.
Another standout was Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar, who overcame technical issues
earlier in the session to claim P7.
-
- Lewis Hamilton had a mixed session, ending eighth in the
Ferrari, just ahead of Alex Albon’s Williams and Ollie Bearman’s Haas, the
latter notching his best qualifying result of the season.
-
- The major shock in Q2 was Yuki Tsunoda’s elimination. The
Japanese driver, making his debut for Red Bull at his home Grand Prix, was
knocked out in P15 - one place behind his predecessor Liam Lawson. Meanwhile,
Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso also missed out on Q3, with
Sainz now under investigation for allegedly impeding Hamilton.
-
- Further down the order, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel
Bortoleto failed to advance beyond Q1 for Kick Sauber, while Esteban Ocon, Jack
Doohan, and Lance Stroll also had disappointing sessions - Stroll finishing
last after a trip through the gravel.
