Verstappen: Red Bull hasn't solved F1 car woes despite "special" Japan pole
Max Verstappen has said Red Bull has not fixed its troublesome Formula 1 car despite taking a stunning Japanese Grand Prix pole that he called one of his finest career laps.
The four-time world champion was bidding for his fourth consecutive pole at Suzuka, but balance issues with his 2025 Red Bull car combined with McLaren's dominant form looked set to end that streak.
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But after not making much of an impact throughout qualifying, Verstappen suddenly pulled a stunning final Q3 lap out of the bag to defeat Lando Norris by 0.012 seconds and Oscar Piastri by 0.044s, his pole lap of 1m26.983s half a second quicker than he had managed in Q2.
Verstappen roared in jubilation on his team radio after his surprise pole and hailed it as one of his best ever laps in an F1 car.
"There was a lot of happiness when I crossed the line," the Dutchman said. "We just tried to keep improving our situation a bit. I was fully committed everywhere.
"I've had some really nice poles in other places but if you look at how our season started it was a surprise and that makes it a very special one.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
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"On the exit of Turn 1 into 2, six, seven, eight and then Spoon it was like: "Well I hope it's going to stick'. But it did and when I crossed the line I could see my name pop up.
"I also knew that Oscar was still behind me, but I was already just very happy with what I did there because I didn't expect to be even close, so that was a nice moment."
However, Verstappen cautioned that his pole lap flattered the Red Bull RB21 and that his car's handling issues are still present.
"It was a lot better than Friday but the through corner balance is still what we need to work on," he explained.
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"On low fuel over one lap some bits you can mask a little bit, but I still don't go into the lap fully confident and comfortable. So the last time I was like: 'Well, I'm just going to send it in and see what we get.'
"It's very rare that a lap like that can stick, but this time it worked well. But we know that we have some issues that we want to solve; it's clearly not easy to solve them at the moment."
Photos from Japanese GP - Practice & Qualifying
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Alexander Albon, Williams
Alexander Albon, Williams
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Fans of Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Fans of Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Racing bulls Team
Isack Hadjar, Racing bulls Team
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Suzuka Circuit entrance
The Suzuka Circuit entrance
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team
Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images
Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images
Andrea Stella, McLaren
Andrea Stella, McLaren
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images
Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Antonio Giovinazzi, Reserve Driver, Scuderia Ferrari
Antonio Giovinazzi, Reserve Driver, Scuderia Ferrari
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
David Mareuil - Anadolu - Getty Images
David Mareuil - Anadolu - Getty Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images
Philip Fong - AFP - Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Clive Mason - Getty Images
Clive Mason - Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Cherry Blossom by the side of the track
Cherry Blossom by the side of the track
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
David Mareuil - Anadolu - Getty Images
David Mareuil - Anadolu - Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Clive Mason - Getty Images
Clive Mason - Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images
Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images
Isack Hadjar, Racing bulls Team
Isack Hadjar, Racing bulls Team
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Fans fill a grandstand during final practice
Fans fill a grandstand during final practice
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A track marshal waters down the dried out grass along the side of the track
A track marshal waters down the dried out grass along the side of the track
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Toshifumi Kitamura - AFP - Getty Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Peter Fox - Getty Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Polesitter Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Polesitter Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Jack Doohan, Alpine
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Kym Illman (Getty Images)
Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Jayce Illman - Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
Bryn Lennon - Formula 1
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