In a thrilling turn of events, Max Verstappen secured a surprise pole position in Qualifying for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix. The reigning World Champion delivered an incredible late-lap performance, knocking McLaren's Lando Norris off the top spot by a mere 0.012 seconds, with Oscar Piastri completing the front row in third.
As Qualifying unfolded, it was clear that Piastri and Norris were the early frontrunners. Piastri led the charge during Q1, followed by Norris in Q2, and the trend seemed to continue as they approached the final shootout. However, with the clock ticking down, Verstappen stormed through to set the fastest lap of 1:26.983, just edging out Norris for pole.
While Norris appeared to be on track for pole in the final laps, Verstappen's blistering effort at the last moment made all the difference. The Dutchman's timing was impeccable, and it was enough to secure his first pole since the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
Key Qualifying Results
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1st: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) – 1:26.983
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2nd: Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:26.995
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3rd: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:27.027
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4th: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:27.299
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5th: George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:27.318
One of the biggest shocks came in Q2, where home favorite Yuki Tsunoda, making his debut Qualifying for Red Bull, was eliminated in 15th. Tsunoda's performance was overshadowed by the exit of other notable drivers, including Alpine's Pierre Gasly, who finished in 11th, and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who struggled to find his rhythm and ended up in 13th.
Other drivers who failed to make it into the top-10 shootout included Carlos Sainz (12th), Liam Lawson (14th), and Tsunoda, leaving fans disappointed by the eliminations of some fan favorites.
The young drivers impressed, with Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes securing P6 and Isack Hadjar, another rookie, impressing in P7 for Racing Bulls. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton finished in 8th, a position that many would argue doesn’t do justice to his immense experience.
The final qualifying session also saw an eye-catching performance from Haas' Ollie Bearman, who qualified in 10th, marking his best qualifying performance of the season.
In the decisive Q3, Verstappen's surprise pole was the highlight. Norris had been in pole position, but the reigning champion’s lap of 1:26.983 was enough to snatch away the top spot. Behind the top two, Piastri, Leclerc, and Russell rounded out the top five.
With a dramatic finish, Verstappen secured his position at the front of the grid, leaving the McLaren drivers and others in his wake. In his own words, Verstappen expressed his surprise, acknowledging the difficulty in finding the right balance during the session but ultimately delivering a perfect final lap.
As the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix looms, fans can look forward to an exciting race on Sunday at 14:00 local time. Be sure to check out the full coverage and race details to catch all the action from Suzuka.