- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 412,964
- Reaction score
- 43
You must be registered for see images attach
Max Verstappen claims pole position in Suzuka ahead of the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri - Issei Kato/Reuters
Max Verstappen took a stunning pole position at Suzuka as the four-time world champion bumped the McLarens off top spot ahead of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, much to everyone’s surprise.
Verstappen had been complaining all weekend about his car’s lack of balance and front-end grip. But, when it mattered, the 27-year-old was supreme once again, setting a new lap record around Suzuka.
It was Verstappen’s first pole since Austria last summer, and even he sounded surprised. “What a lap Max, unbelievable. You’ve done it,” his team principal Christian Horner told him over the radio.
“Pure class,” his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase added.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start P2 and P3 respectively and will be hopeful of making it past the Red Bull on Sunday, with the McLaren’s race pace having looked superior all weekend. But it will not be easy given Verstappen’s experience and the Red Bull’s impressive straight-line speed.
Elsewhere, Charles Leclerc took P4, 0.3sec quicker and four places better than Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton.
All the talk heading into the weekend was about Red Bull’s decision to switch Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, with the Japanese stepping into the second Red Bull seat and Lawson moving to sister team Racing Bulls.
In the end, both men went out in Q2, while both their teammates made it into Q3. Lawson will start 14th and Tsunoda 15th. Britain’s Ollie Bearman did brilliantly to get his Haas into Q3 and will start P10.
More to follow...
09:06 AM BST
Top five for tomorrow’s race
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
09:04 AM BST
The thoughts of George Russell, who will start fifth tomorrow
You must be registered for see images attach
George Russell is currently third in the drivers standings through two rounds - Clive Mason/Getty Images
08:56 AM BST
Haas’ Oliver Bearman speaking to Sky Sports
You must be registered for see images attach
Oliver Bearman starts in the top ten for the race tomorrow - Franck Robichon/Shutterstock
08:55 AM BST
Second and third for McLaren
08:54 AM BST
Verstappen’s pole moment
08:53 AM BST
Stunning pole for Verstappen
08:53 AM BST
The thoughts of Lewis Hamilton, who qualified eighth
08:50 AM BST
Isack Hadjar, who will start seventh tomorrow, speaking to Sky
You must be registered for see images attach
Isack Hadjar was in some pain early in qualifying but managed to get into Q3 - Clive Mason/Getty Images
08:45 AM BST
Reaction from McLaren team principal Andrea Stella
You must be registered for see images attach
The McLaren duo will start second and third tomorrow - Shuji Kajiyama/AP
08:41 AM BST
Yuki Tsunoda speaking post-qualifying
08:40 AM BST
Verstappen’s pole lap
Watch as Max Verstappen takes his first pole of 2025 with a new lap record round Suzukapic.twitter.com/0rY2wYWFQi
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 5, 2025
08:35 AM BST
Christian Horner on Yuki Tsunoda, who will start 15th tomorrow
08:33 AM BST
Weather for the race
There is some rain due tomorrow in Suzuka but there is still some uncertainty as to when it will hit and how much. One thing we can be sure of is the rain will prevent any red flags tomorrow for grass fires!
08:32 AM BST
Reaction from Christian Horner on Sky Sports
You must be registered for see images attach
Max Verstappen will start on pole for tomorrow’s race - Philip Fong/Getty Images
08:29 AM BST
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve speaking on Sky Sports
You must be registered for see images attach
A very unexpected pole position for Max Verstappen - Issei Kato/Reuters
08:24 AM BST
So tight for pole
No-one expected Verstappen to be in the battle for pole with the McLarens but he pulled out a stunning lap at the death. Here are the final times in Q3 for the top three:
- Max Verstappen 1:26.983
- Lando Norris 1:26.995
- Oscar Piastri 1:27.027
Just 0.044 between Verstappen on pole and Piastri in third.
You must be registered for see images attach
Your top three for tomorrow’s race - Hiro Komae/AP
08:22 AM BST
The thoughts of Oscar Piastri
08:20 AM BST
Lando Norris speaking post-qualifying
08:19 AM BST
Thoughts of polesitter Max Verstappen
08:18 AM BST
Bottom ten
11. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
12. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
13. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
14. Liam Lawson (RB)
15. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
16. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
18. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
19. Jack Doohan (Alpine)
20. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
08:15 AM BST
Top ten
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Isack Hadjar (RB)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
08:13 AM BST
Stunned
08:09 AM BST
Verstappen takes pole
That is a complete surprise! No-one saw that coming as the four-time world champion takes his fourth consecutive pole by 0.012 ahead of Norris. Piastri improves a little bit from his own time but is third. Just 0.044 between the top three. McLaren will be stunned that they have not secured pole.
08:08 AM BST
Norris goes fastest, for now...
He goes quickest, just 0.057 ahead of his teammate, who is yet to come across the line.
08:07 AM BST
Norris sets purple sector
The McLaren man is fastest in the first sector whilst Russell up ahead is not setting the timesheets alight.
08:05 AM BST
Perplexing
Norris was on a new set of tyres but is 0.467 down on Piastri’s quickest time so far in Q3. Norris did run a little wide at turn seven which would have cost him a couple of tenths. Let’s hope we do not get another grass fire at just the wrong moment. One more run and the drivers are making their way out. Piastri took his first pole at the Chinese Grand Prix last time out and is on provisional pole for a race that falls on his 24th birthday tomorrow. He is the last man out of the garage and so will be the last driver across the line.
08:01 AM BST
Piastri quickest after first runs
Russell sets a time of 1:27.318 but is knocked off by Verstappen and then by Piastri, who goes two tenths faster than Verstappen with a 1:27.052. Norris must have made a mistake somewhere as he is nearly half a second off Piastri. Leclerc moves himself into third.
07:59 AM BST
First runs
Russell will be the first of the big hitters to set a lap time in Q3. He has looked in decent form this weekend but has got a job on his hands to stop the McLarens from getting pole.
07:56 AM BST
Time for Q3!
The battle for pole is upon us and Norris is looking in ominous form. He found roughly nine tenths of a second between Q1 and Q2. Bearman is the first man out onto the track for Q3. Fellow rookie Hadjar is also into the final part of qualifying despite his comfort issues.
07:49 AM BST
Five drivers eliminated in Q2
11. Gasly (Alpine)
12. Sainz (Williams)
13. Alonso (Aston Martin)
14. Lawson (RB)
15. Tsunoda (Red Bull)
Tsunoda swapped with Lawson for this race and in theory is in the faster car but has qualified behind the man who he has replaced.
07:48 AM BST
Great job from youngsters
A number of the full-time rookies have performed admirably as Antonelli, Bearman and Hadjar are all through into Q3.
Sainz, who has not made it into Q3, has been noted by race control for impeding Hamilton into turn one. Hamilton was through anyway but Sainz could be in trouble there as he made no attempt to move aside and clearly blocked someone on a flying lap. Looking back at the replays that looks like a slam dunk that Sainz will be given a penalty.
07:46 AM BST
Tsunoda out
He has been promoted into the Red Bull team but his hopes of getting into Q3 at his home race are dashed. Will the man who he replaced at Red Bull, Lawson, get ahead of him? Yes he will but Lawson is knocked out of the top ten and is out.
You must be registered for see images attach
Disappoinment for home favourite Yuki Tsunoda - Toshifumi Kitamura/Getty Images
07:45 AM BST
Pressure on Tsunoda
The current fastest man in Q2 Norris has stayed in his garage and he is the only man not out on track at the moment. Tsunoda is under pressure on his home track.
07:43 AM BST
Ferraris safe or not?
Only three drives immediately made their way out onto the track; the two Ferraris and the Williams of Albon. Hamilton moves into fifth as his teammate Leclerc jumps just above him into fourth. Will that be enough for them? It should be but the track is constantly ramping up.
07:39 AM BST
Back under way
The marshals have done their job for now but will we get through the rest of qualifying without another red flag? There is some rain dur in Suzuka between the end of qualifying and the race tomorrow which should hopefully reduce the risk of this problem during the race.
The green light is showing at the end of the pit lane and the Ferraris are straight out.
07:34 AM BST
Red flag
We have had a number of problems this weekend with the grass catching fire and, for the first time in qualifying, we now have a red flag. It is a new place this weekend where the grass has caught fire, just around the very fast corner of turn 15. The marshals are now out to sort it out with all the cars back in the garage.
07:32 AM BST
Piastri fourth
Piastri goes only fourth, nearly half a second behind his teammate Norris. He ran a little wide at turn nine which would have cost him time. Russell goes into second place, two and a half tenths off Norris.
The two Ferraris are in sixth and seventh, on used tyres. Home favourite Tsunoda has not had the best first run and is down in 14th. Improvement needed.
07:30 AM BST
Norris quickest
Verstappen is the first man across the line and does a 1:27.502. He was on pole last year but it would be a big surprise if he repeated that feat today. Norris then sets three purple sectors and goes more than three tenths faster than Verstappen.
Piastri and Russell are out on their first flying laps in Q2...
You must be registered for see images attach
Lando Norris looking in great form in Suzuka - Issei Kato/Reuters
07:27 AM BST
Seatbelt problems
Hadjar was complaining throughout Q1 about being uncomfortable and his team RB have confirmed there is an issue with his seatbelt. He is though into Q2.
07:25 AM BST
Time for Q2!
The green light is showing and Verstappen is the first man out onto the track in the second part of qualifying. This is a home race in part for Red Bull with their partnership with Honda but this will be the final year of their partnership. Next year Honda will become Aston Martin’s engine partner.
07:22 AM BST
Five drivers out in Q1
16. Hulkenberg (Sauber)
17. Bortoleto (Sauber)
18. Ocon (Haas)
19. Doohan (Alpine)
20. Stroll (Aston Martin)
07:20 AM BST
Antonelli safe
Antonelli puts together a decent lap and is comfortably into the top ten, safely securing his place in the second part of qualifying
Hadjar may been in some pain but he has made it into Q2. His new RB teammate Lawson just scrapes out of Q1. Stroll, Doohan, Oco, Bortoleto and Hulkenberg are the five men out.
Piastri was fastest in Q1 as he set a quick lap near the end of the session with Norris staying in his garage.
07:16 AM BST
Antonelli under pressure
The teenage Italian is in the bottom five and this run has to count. It would be a big shock if a Mercedes went out in Q1. Meanwhile Hadjar is still not happy as he tells his RB team over the team radio.
07:13 AM BST
Bottom five with five minutes left
16. Lawson
17. Alonso
18. Antonelli
19. Hadjar
20. Stroll
Hadjar has been complaining about not being comfortable and we have seen shots of him back in the garage in some discomfort.
07:12 AM BST
Norris fastest
He sets a 1:27.845 to go top of the timesheets and in behind him Leclerc goes second, just under a tenth behind. The likes of Piastri, Russell, Verstappen and Tsunoda are all still in the pits.
You must be registered for see images attach
Lando Norris has been quick all week - Philip Fong/Getty Images
07:11 AM BST
Hamilton back out
The seven-time world champion did his first run on the mediums but has had to go out on a set of softs. The times are really starting to ramp up...
07:09 AM BST
Top five
- Piastri 1:28.143
- Russell +0.058
- Norris +0.090
- Verstappen +0.217
- Leclerc +0.428
07:08 AM BST
Piastri top of the timesheets
Verstappen tucks in behind Norris to go into second place but about 30 seconds later Piastri goes fastest, just under a tenth of a second faster than Norris. Russell then comes across the line and splits the two McLarens.
Verstappen has just come onto the team radio and complained about the front tyres not gripping.
07:05 AM BST
Norris goes quickest
The two Ferraris go one and two temporarily until Norris goes fastest by more than three tenths of a second. Hamilton did his time on a medium when everyone else is on softs but will that be enough as the times will ramp up?
You must be registered for see images attach
Can anyone beat the McLarens for pole? - Issei Kato/Reuters
07:04 AM BST
Doohan out on track
The Australian had a huge crash at 185MPH in second practice yesterday but has been passed fit to take part today. He will be under pressure though and looks a likely candidate to be knocked out in Q1.
You must be registered for see images attach
Pressure on Jack Doohan - Hiro Komae/AP
07:02 AM BST
Going out early?
It will be fascinating to see how the teams approach this. The marshals have been hard at work dampening some of the grass by the track but is there still a danger of grass fires so will the teams want to get their drives out early to bank an early lap in case there is a red flag?
There are huge cheers as Tsunoda makes his way out of the garage and onto the track in his Red Bull.
07:00 AM BST
Green light!
Qualifying in Suzuka is under way! This is always one of the best qualifying sessions of the season with this being one of the drivers’ favourite tracks. From last season to this one they have resurfaced the first sector so they will be rapid through the iconic first sequence of S’s.
06:57 AM BST
Christian Horner speaking to Sky
06:56 AM BST
Five-minute klaxon
Qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix is just five minutes away!
06:54 AM BST
Hamilton ‘losing faith’ in Ferrari is a ludicrous claim
For more from Tom Cary, click here.
You must be registered for see images attach
Lewis Hamilton was sixth in third practice earlier today - Mark Thompson/Getty Images
06:50 AM BST
McLaren leading the way through two rounds
06:49 AM BST
Marshals busy
You must be registered for see images attach
Both second and third practice were red flagged due to grass fires - Toshifumi Kitamura/Getty Images
You must be registered for see images attach
Will qualifying be affected by any grass fires? - Toshifumi Kitamura/Getty Images
06:44 AM BST
Verstappen confirms disagreement with Red Bull over Lawson axe
Tom Cary has more on Red Bull’s switch after just two races.
06:40 AM BST
How things stand going into this weekend
06:35 AM BST
‘Norris vs Piastri another McLaren battle royal that could end in tears’
For more from our senior sports correspondent Tom Cary, click here.
You must be registered for see images attach
McLaren lead the constructors standings and Lando Norris leads the drivers standings after two rounds - Mark Thompson/Getty Images
06:31 AM BST
Collins: I felt like a fraud when I moved from pit wall to punditry
Luke Slater has sat down for an interview with Sky Sports’ Bernie Collins about the transition from the pit wall to punditry.
06:26 AM BST
Schedule at the start of the season
Round one: Australia- Winner: Lando Norris
Round two: China- Winner: Oscar Piastri
Round three: Japan
Round four: Bahrain Sunday 13th April
Round five: Saudi Arabia Sunday 20th April
Round six: Miami Sunday 4th May
06:23 AM BST
Practice results
First Practice
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
Second Practice
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Isack Hadjar (RB)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Liam Lawson (RB)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
Third Practice
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
06:20 AM BST
Fire concerns?
The marshals are very busy ahead of qualifying, trying to dampen parts of the grass around the track where the sparks are causing the grass to catch fire. Practice two was hampered by two red flags as was third practice earlier and so there is legitimate concern about qualifying being affected by the grass catching fire. So desperate are the organisers that the marshals are filling anything they can find with water to go and dampen the grass, including traffic cones! Let’s hope their temporary measures do the job as qualifying will be chaos if we keep having red flags.
06:14 AM BST
Suzuka qualifying preview
Good morning and welcome to coverage of qualifying from the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. McLaren have so far dominated the first two races of the season as they currently sit atop the constructors standings after winning in both Australia and China. So far this weekend their dominance has continued with Lando Norris, who leads the drivers championship after two races, fastest in first and second practice and Oscar Piastri, who was victorious in China last time out, fastest in second practice.
The big story going into the weekend was Red Bull’s decision to swap Yuki Tsunoda for Liam Lawson. The latter had two tough weekends to begin the season in Australia and China and has now found himself demoted from the senior Red Bull team into the Racing Bulls, having only replaced Sergio Perez over the offseason. Tsunoda, at his home Grand Prix, has been promoted from the Racing Bulls into the senior team. When Red Bull decided to replace Perez at the end of last season, Lawson got the nod over Tsunoda. Lawson has admitted his surprise at being demoted after just two races.
“It was definitely a shock, honestly. It is not something that I saw coming,” Lawson told Sky Sports. “The discussions we were having were not really leaning in this direction, so it was definitely not something that I expected. Obviously, I would have loved more time. We had a rocky testing. We had a rocky first weekend in Melbourne with practice. And then obviously China was a sprint. But obviously, it is not my decision, so I am here to make the most of this one.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Home favourite Yuki Tsunoda has been promoted between races from RB to Red Bull - Kym Illman/Getty Images
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has admitted they asked too much of Lawson and that this is not the end of the road for the New Zealander.
“Of course, it is horrible because you are taking away someone’s dreams and aspirations, but sometimes you have got to be cruel to be kind, and I think that in this instance, this is not the end for Liam,” Horner told Sky Sports. “I was very clear with him, is that it is a sample of two races. I think that we have asked too much of you too soon. We have to accept, I think we were asking too much of him too soon. And so this is for him to, again, nurture that talent that we know that he has, back in the Racing Bulls seat, whilst giving Yuki the opportunity and looking to make use of the experience that he has.”
The pressure is ramping up on Alpine’s Jack Doohan, who suffered a high-speed crash at turn one in second practice. It has not been the easiest of starts to the season for full-time rookie Doohan, with rumours already abound that he could be replaced mid-season by Franco Colapinto. That was one of four red flags in second practice as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso got beached in the gravel and then some grass caught fire twice! Third practice was also disrupted twice earlier today with the grass catching fire
Qualifying from Suzuka begins at 7am BST.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Continue reading...
