Japanese GP Qualifications: Max Verstappen Shocks Oscar Piastri’s Lando Norris, Occupy Suzuka Pole

Max Verstappen took the extreme frustration of the Japanese Grand Prix from McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Throughout the weekend, people have been claiming pole position is a form for McLaren, whose driver shared a pole and won the victory in the opening two rounds of the 2025 season, but Red Bull’s Verstappen beats them everywhere.

Piastri was obviously the fastest in the first game in the third quarter, and Norris seemed to have snatched the pole with his second attempt, but Verstappen had a 1:26.983 time, finishing the fourth straight Suzuki as the top three were less than halfway away.

The four-time world champion’s new teammate Yuki Tsunoda highlighted the extraordinary nature of Verstappen’s efforts, only at No. 15 in his Red Bull debut and behind Liam Lawson, the driver he swapped from Junior Squad Racing Bulls.

Charles Leclerc ranked fourth in Ferrari, but Lewis Hamilton was one-third in a disappointing eighth place among his teammates, as the Italian team continued to live as the turbulent and turbulent seven-time world champions.

Mercedes’s George Russell seemed to be the most likely driver to challenge McLarens’ qualifying, but had to be fifth after his last lap. His rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli took an encouraging sixth place.

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar overcomes the obvious underseat issue, and he expressed great trouble to the radio in the early stages of the meeting, thus finishing seventh.

Alex Albon is ninth in Williams, while British rookie Oliver Bearman finished the top ten after a great performance in the third quarter.

And more…

Japanese GP Qualification Schedule


driver	team	time
1) Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:26.983
2) Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.012
3) Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+0.044
4) Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.316
5) George Russell	Mercedes	+0.335
6) Some Anthony	Mercedes	+0.572
7) Isack Hadjar	Racing Bull	+0.586
8) Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.627
9) Alex Albon	Williams	+0.632
10) Oliver Bearman	Haas	+0.884
Eliminated in the second quarter
11) Pierre Gasly	High Mountain	1:27.822
12) Carlos Sainz	Williams	1:27.836
13) Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1:27.897
14) Liam Lawson	Racing Bull	1:27.906
15) Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull	1:28.000
Eliminated in Q1
162) Nico Hulkenberg	Sauber	1:28.570
17) Gabriel Bortoleto	Sauber	1:28.622
18) Esteban Ocon	Haas	1:28.696
19) Jack Doohan	High Mountain	1:28.877
20) Snake walk	Aston Martin	1:29.271

Sky Sports F1’s live Japanese GP program

Sunday, April 6

4.30am: Japanese GPs Gathering: Grand Prize Sunday*
6:00 am: Japan Award*
8 am: Japan GP reaction: Checkered flag*
9:00 am: TED’s notebook*

*Also live in the main event of Sky Sports

The recipe is live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend at the iconic Suzuki Tour of the Japan Grand Prix. Streaming with Sky Sports now – no contract, cancel at any time

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