Max Verstappen edges out Lando Norris in a stunning Q3 finale, setting up a thrilling Japanese Grand Prix under uncertain skies.
Max Verstappen pulled off a dramatic late lap to snatch pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, narrowly beating Lando Norris in a tense final qualifying session at Suzuka. Oscar Piastri set a new all-time track record during Q3, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to stop the reigning World Champion.
Drama Before the Action
Heading into qualifying, McLaren were looking like favorites after a strong showing across all three practice sessions. However, the Red Bulls, Ferraris, and even the resurgent Racing Bulls were right in the mix, setting the stage for a tight shootout.
Friday and Saturday sessions were repeatedly interrupted by red flags due to grass fires near the track—dry conditions made Suzuka’s edges dangerously flammable. Despite the FIA’s efforts to wet and trim the grass, the issue continued into Saturday morning, prompting teams to demand stronger safety measures. Race Control promised full mobilization of resources to address the situation before qualifying.
Off-track, Verstappen and Piastri received official warnings for performing practice starts in unsafe areas of the pit lane. It followed similar infractions by Hamilton and Stroll the day before. The FIA warned that future incidents could lead to harsher penalties.
Meanwhile, drivers also asked the FIA to review how the DRS shuts after Jack Doohan’s high-speed crash in FP2. He lost control with the rear wing still open, slamming into the barriers at over 300 km/h.
Q1 – A Flying Start
The first qualifying session kicked off with Ferrari setting early benchmarks, but McLaren quickly took over. Norris went top with a 1:27.845, followed closely by Leclerc and Piastri. Verstappen briefly looked off the pace, complaining about front-end grip, but still slotted in near the top.
Rookie Oliver Bearman impressed with a strong lap, and Albon also surged up the order. Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar continued to report discomfort in the cockpit, which was later confirmed to be due to a seatbelt harness issue.
As the session wound down, Piastri reclaimed top spot with a 1:27.687. Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton, and Russell were all in close pursuit. In the closing seconds, several drivers improved, but others faltered—Doohan, Ocon, Bortoleto, Hülkenberg, and Stroll all failed to make it through.
Q2 – The Fire Returns
Despite his discomfort, Hadjar advanced into Q2 and even outpaced teammate Lawson. Verstappen laid down a strong 1:27.502 to kick things off, but Norris responded with a blistering 1:27.146.
Once again, the session was halted by a grass fire—this time at the high-speed 130R. After a brief red flag, cars returned to the track for a final push. Leclerc, Hamilton, and Bearman made late improvements. Tsunoda came up just short, while Sainz struggled for pace and could also face a post-session penalty for impeding Hamilton.
Eliminated in Q2: Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Lawson, Tsunoda.
Q3 – Pole Decided by Hundredths
The final session was a nail-biter. Russell briefly held provisional pole, but Verstappen edged ahead before Piastri blew everyone away with a new track record: 1:27.052—beating Sebastian Vettel’s 2019 mark by just 0.012s.
But it wasn’t over yet.
With one final run left, Norris delivered a stunning 1:26.995 lap to reclaim the top spot. Moments later, Verstappen responded with a 1:26.983—just enough to steal pole back. Piastri couldn’t quite match his earlier pace and had to settle for P3.
The top four were separated by just a few tenths, and four different teams locked out the first four positions. It’s all set for a thrilling race on Sunday.
Up next: race day at Suzuka promises chaos, strategy, and possibly rain. Don’t blink—this battle is just heating up.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Max | R.Bull | 1:27.943 | 1:27.502 | 1:26.983 |
| 02 | Norris | McLaren | 1:27.845 | 1:27.146 | 1:26.995 |
| 03 | Piastri | McLaren | 1:27.687 | 1:27.507 | 1:27.027 |
| 04 | Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:27.920 | 1:27.555 | 1:27.299 |
| 05 | Russell | Mercedes | 1:27.843 | 1:27.400 | 1:27.318 |
| 06 | Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:27.968 | 1:27.639 | 1:27.555 |
| 07 | Hadjar | R.Bulls | 1:28.278 | 1:27.775 | 1:27.569 |
| 08 | Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:27.942 | 1:27.610 | 1:27.610 |
| 09 | Albon | Williams | 1:28.218 | 1:27.783 | 1:27.615 |
| 10 | Bearman | Haas | 1:28.228 | 1:27.711 | 1:27.867 |
| — | —————- | ————— | ———- | ———- | ———- |
| 11 | Gasly | Alpine | 1:28.186 | 1:27.822 | |
| 12 | Sainz | Williams | 1:28.209 | 1:27.836 | |
| 13 | Alonso | Aston | 1:28.337 | 1:27.897 | |
| 14 | Lawson | R.Bulls | 1:28.554 | 1:27.906 | |
| 15 | Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:27.967 | 1:28.000 | |
| — | —————- | ————— | ———- | ———- | ———- |
| 16 | Hülk | Stake | 1:28.570 | ||
| 17 | Bortoleto | Stake | 1:28.622 | ||
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:28.696 | ||
| 19 | Doohan | Alpine | 1:28.877 | ||
| 20 | Stroll | Aston | 1:29.271 |
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Verstappen Snatches Suzuka Pole After Late Norris Scare
Verstappen Snatches Suzuka Pole After Late Norris Scare