Verstappen Claims Shock Pole for 2025 Japanese GP – Sport Grill

Max Verstappen snatched a shock pole position for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix in a dramatic climax to Qualifying at Suzuka. 

McLaren had dominated the weekend as Lando Norris topped FP3 before both he and Piastri topped the opening two segments of Qualifying, yet Verstappen snatched an unlikely pole position as the top three smashed the previous lap record in Q3.

There however were three red flags across FP3 and Qualifying due to grass fires which continued to prove an issue for the organisers to cope with.

FP3

Eager to bounce back after his disastrous FP2 run, Alpine’s Jack Doohan was first on track but it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who set the pace on the hard tyre with 1m 30.397.

The session however was red flagged just seven minutes into the session due to a grass fire at Turn 11 but the action resumed in the 15th minute.

McLaren and Ferrari consequently opted to go for a banker soft-tyre Qualifying simulations and it was the Scuderia’s Charles Leclerc who initially went fastest with 1m 29.107 to head Norris by 0.350 seconds in the 18th minute.

Oscar Piastri aborted his initial flier after an error on the exit of the second Degner Curve but rebounded to sit fastest at the half-hour mark on 1m 28.768 with just 0.050s covering him, Leclerc and Norris.

Mercedes’ George Russell soon joined the soft-tyre party and went top with 1n 28.385 in the 35th minute, but Piastri responded nine minutes later with 1m 27.991 to go fastest once again and Russell fell 0.086s shy in his response effort.

With eight minutes left in the session, Norris snatched the fastest lap by 0.026s from Piastri after he produced 1m 27.965 despite failing to top his best first sector time on that particular lap.

The session ultimately came to an early end with six minutes left after the grass near the entry to 130R caught ablaze, which prevented opportunity for anyone to attempt a practice start on the grid

Qualifying

Q1

Haas’ Ocon was first on track and set 1m 29.724 as the initial benchmark time which his teammate – Bearman bettered with 1m 29.434 just moments later.

Several drivers soon usurped the Haas drivers as Piastri set the pace with 1m 28.143 once everyone completed their opening laps, whilst the elimination zone compromised of; Bortoleto, Bearman, Ocon, Alonso and Doohan.

Bortoleto, Bearman, Ocon and Doohan however got out of the bottom five on their second fliers, which left; Lawson, Alonso, Antonelli, Hadjar and Stroll at risk of elimination going into the final Q1 runs.

At the checkered flag, Stroll qualified slowest and will line up 20th on the grid just behind Doohan and Ocon, whilst Sauber’s Hulkenberg and Bortoleto qualified 16th and 17th respectively.

Up front, Piastri topped Q1 with 1m 27.687 ahead of Russell and Norris.

Q2

Verstappen was the first driver to hit the track once Q2 commenced and laid 1m 27.502 down as the benchmark time which Norris and Russell were able to beat, as the former posted 1m 27.146 to continue McLaren’s dominance so far this weekend.

Sainz, Alonso, Bearman, Tsunoda and Lawson meanwhile found themselves in the drop zone once opening laps were completed, although the segment was red flagged with 8m 26s left on the clock due to another grass fire and resumed eight minutes later.

The majority of drivers opted to stay in the pits as only Albon, Hamilton and Leclerc headed straight back out – sat fifth, sixth and seventh respectively, but Leclerc was able to improve to fourth ahead of Hamilton who too jumped Piastri and Albon.

At the checkered flag, Lawson outqualified Tsunoda following their seat swap prior to this race with the pair set to start 14th and 15th respectively, behind Alonso who will start 13th on the grid just behind his fellow Spaniard, Sainz who will line up on the sixth row just behind Gasly.

Q3

Russell was straight on track once Q3 commenced and proceeded to set 1m 27.318 as the initial benchmark time, which Verstappen bettered by 0.040s.

Piastri meanwhile broke the 1m 27.064 lap record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2019 by 0.012s as the Aussie posted 1m 27.052 to go on provisional pole from Verstappen, whilst Leclerc slotted into third ahead of; Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Hadjar, Bearman, Albon and Antonelli.

At the checkered flag, Norris produced 1m 26.996 to put himself on course for a second pole this season but Verstappen unexpectedly snatched pole at Honda’s home race by 0.012s from the Brit and Piastri.

Leclerc qualified fourth ahead of Russell and Antonelli whilst Hadjar, Hamilton, Albon and Bearman rounded out the top ten.

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