Max Verstappen will start from pole position at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix after delivering a brilliant final lap in Saturday’s qualifying session. The Red Bull driver secured the top spot with a lap time of 1:26.983, narrowly beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.012 seconds.

This marks Verstappen’s fourth straight pole at Suzuka, further proving his strong connection with the Japanese track. His car was also fitted with a special livery to honour Red Bull’s engine partner, Honda, making the achievement even more meaningful for the team.

How the qualifying unfolded:

Qualifying was closely contested, with McLaren’s Norris and Oscar Piastri showing strong pace throughout the session. For a moment in Q3, it looked like Piastri might grab pole on his birthday, but he had to settle for third place. Norris, despite a strong lap, was pipped at the very end by Verstappen’s incredible final push.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified fourth, followed by George Russell in fifth for Mercedes. Young rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed many by taking sixth in just his first season in F1, ahead of Isack Hadjar in seventh. Lewis Hamilton, in his final season with Mercedes, managed eighth.

The rest of the grid:

  • Alexander Albon (Williams) and Oliver Bearman (Haas) rounded out the top ten.
  • Yuki Tsunoda, racing at home for Red Bull, will start 15th.
  • His predecessor, Liam Lawson, lines up just ahead of him in 14th.

Suzuka is known for its fast corners and technical layout, and Verstappen praised the challenge of pushing his car to the limit. “Each session we kept making little improvements,” he said after qualifying. “That last lap was just flat out. In an F1 car, around here, it’s insane.”

McLaren’s Norris was gracious in defeat, saying, “I got everything out of the car today… We just didn’t have enough.”

What to expect on race day:

Rain is in the forecast for Sunday, which could mix things up during the race. With such a tightly packed top five and unpredictable weather, fans can expect plenty of action at the legendary Suzuka Circuit.

Verstappen will be aiming to extend his championship lead, while McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes hope to close the gap and possibly snatch a win in changing conditions.