In a twist worthy of Suzuka’s legendary status, Max Verstappen delivered a lightning bolt of a lap to seize pole position for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, pulling off a stunning late charge to deny McLaren a clean sweep in qualifying. The reigning world champion, who had looked a step behind all weekend, threw down a 1:26.983 in the final seconds of Q3 to edge out Lando Norris by just 0.012s, with Oscar Piastri less than half a tenth behind in third. The top three were split by just 0.039s—one of the tightest front-row battles of the 2025 season so far.
What To Know?
- Max Verstappen snatched pole position with a stunning late lap of 1:26.983, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.012s and Oscar Piastri by 0.039s in a thrilling Q3 shootout.
- McLaren had dominated Q1 and Q2, but Verstappen’s final effort denied them a qualifying sweep, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell completed the top five.
- Rookies impressed again, with Isack Hadjar qualifying seventh for Racing Bulls despite early drama, while Ollie Bearman reached Q3 for Haas and Andrea Kimi Antonelli took sixth for Mercedes.
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Up until that moment, it had looked like McLaren were cruising toward another qualifying one-two. Piastri set the pace in Q1 and was again quickest on the first Q3 runs, while Norris momentarily claimed provisional pole on his second lap. But Verstappen, who had voiced frustration with his RB21’s balance earlier in the weekend and faced scrutiny over an FP3 investigation, silenced any doubts with one of the most clinical laps of his career—earning his fourth consecutive pole at Suzuka. Red Bull’s team radio captured the astonishment: Gianpiero Lambiase called it “insane,” and Christian Horner simply said, “unbelievable.”
Behind the front three, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led the Scuderia charge in fourth, continuing to extract solid performance from a car still seeking consistency. Mercedes’ George Russell was left frustrated in fifth after a mistake on his final flying lap derailed what had looked like a strong shot at pole. His rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli delivered another composed performance to take sixth, reinforcing Mercedes’ hopes that their long-term future is in safe hands.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar starred once again with a brilliant seventh, overcoming early-session panic over a loose seatbelt that had him audibly distressed over the radio. His recovery to comfortably reach Q3 and place just behind two front-running teams further strengthened his case as one of the standout rookies of the season.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had a subdued session, ending eighth in the second Ferrari and more than three tenths off Leclerc—a continuation of what was a bumpy transition so far in red. Alex Albon once again delivered for Williams in ninth, and Haas rookie Ollie Bearman rounded out the top ten with a highly impressive showing that continued his strong start to F1 life.
Yuki Tsunoda, making his Red Bull debut at his home Grand Prix, had a session to forget. The Japanese driver was knocked out in Q2 and could only manage 15th, finishing behind the very driver he replaced—Liam Lawson—who would start 14th for Racing Bulls. The sharp contrast to Verstappen’s heroics highlighted just how complex and demanding the RB21 remained to drive.
Further down, Carlos Sainz initially qualified 12th for Williams but would start 15th on Sunday after receiving a three-place grid penalty for impeding Hamilton during Q2. Jack Doohan, still recovering from his heavy FP2 crash, qualified 19th for Alpine, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll brought up the rear in 20th after an off-track moment derailed his session.
While McLaren remained the team to beat over a race distance, Verstappen’s late pole was a clear warning that the four-time world champion wasn’t ready to hand over the reins of dominance just yet. With Sunday’s race set against the spectacular backdrop of cherry blossoms and high-speed corners, the stage was set for a classic Suzuka showdown in the 2025 season.
Japanese GP Qualifying Results
2025 Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying, 5 April 2025
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:27.943 | 1:27.502 | 1:26.983 | 17 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:27.845 | 1:27.146 | 1:26.995 | 15 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:27.687 | 1:27.507 | 1:27.027 | 18 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:27.920 | 1:27.555 | 1:27.299 | 21 |
| 5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:27.843 | 1:27.400 | 1:27.318 | 17 |
| 6 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:27.968 | 1:27.639 | 1:27.555 | 18 |
| 7 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:28.278 | 1:27.775 | 1:27.569 | 18 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:27.942 | 1:27.610 | 1:27.610 | 23 |
| 9 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:28.218 | 1:27.783 | 1:27.615 | 20 |
| 10 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | 1:28.228 | 1:27.711 | 1:27.867 | 21 |
| 11 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:28.186 | 1:27.822 | 12 | |
| 12 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes | 1:28.209 | 1:27.836 | 15 | |
| 13 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:28.337 | 1:27.897 | 12 | |
| 14 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:28.554 | 1:27.906 | 12 | |
| 15 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:27.967 | 1:28.000 | 12 | |
| 16 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:28.570 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:28.622 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari | 1:28.696 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | 1:28.877 | 9 | ||
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:29.271 | 5 | ||
| Note – Sainz penalised three grid places for impeding. | |||||||
With Grass Fires Doused, Verstappen Lights Up the Track
Heading into qualifying at Suzuka, all eyes weren’t just on the battle at the front—it was on the ground, quite literally. After two practice sessions on Friday and Saturday were marred by fires caused by sparks igniting dry grass along the circuit’s edge, fears loomed large that qualifying could be similarly interrupted. But this time, the flames stayed largely at bay. A single red flag midway through Q2 was the only hiccup, and it came at a point where it had little impact on the competitive narrative.
The FIA’s proactive response—cutting and soaking the grass around the high-risk areas—seemed to pay off, and with overnight rain in the forecast, there was a renewed hope that Sunday’s race wouldn’t be compromised. But while the literal fires were under control, Max Verstappen brought the metaphorical heat, delivering a scorching final lap in Q3 to claim a pole position few had seen coming.
Verstappen’s lap—a 1:26.983—was a throwback to his peak form and marked his first pole since the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix in June the year before. It also broke McLaren’s stranglehold on qualifying in the early stages of the 2025 F1 World Championship. The Red Bull RB21 hadn’t been the most predictable or cooperative car, but Verstappen squeezed every last drop of performance from it when it mattered most.
It was more than just a quick lap; it was a reminder. A reminder that while Red Bull has faced a turbulent start to the 2025 season—and Verstappen himself hadn’t taken pole in nearly 10 months—he was far from out of the title fight.
Now, Verstappen lined up with the two McLarens breathing down his neck: championship leader Lando Norris just 0.012s adrift, and China winner Oscar Piastri only 0.039s off. The Dutchman may have delivered a statement on Saturday, but Sunday was shaping up to be the real test—as McLaren’s young stars prepared to turn up the pressure once again.
2025 Japanese Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying session.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | |
| 5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | |
| 6 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | |
| 7 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | |
| 9 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | |
| 10 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | |
| 11 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | |
| 12 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | |
| 13 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | |
| 14 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | |
| 15 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes | |
| 16 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber Ferrari | |
| 17 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber Ferrari | |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari | |
| 19 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | |
| Note – Sainz received a three-place penalty for impeding another driver during Qualifying | ||||
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