F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen grabs surprise pole to defeat the McLarens
Motorsport photo
Max Verstappen stormed to a surprise pole position at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix as the reigning world champion defeated both McLarens to grab top spot.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had been setting the pace during practice, but it was Verstappen who delivered when it mattered, putting in a new track record of 1m26.983s to secure his fourth successive Suzuka pole.
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Early championship leader Norris will start alongside the Dutchman having been pipped by just 0.012 seconds, while Chinese Grand Prix winner Piastri is third alongside Charles Leclerc's Ferrari.
Before Verstappen's fine effort, it was Mercedes that had been worrying the McLaren duo but George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli could only make the third row.
There had been plenty of talk about Red Bull's decision to switch Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda heading to Japan but neither made it into Q3, instead it was the Racing Bull of Isack Hadjar who impressed to go seventh, despite reporting a cockpit issue during the opening session.
Lewis Hamilton will be disappointed to have only managed eighth, ahead of the Williams of Alex Albon and Oliver Bearman, the Haas man making it three rookies in the top 10.
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Once again, the hour-long session descended into farce when a fifth red flag of the weekend for a trackside grass fire caused delays in Q2.
A fire fighter sprays the grass at the side of the track to dampen it
A fire fighter sprays the grass at the side of the track to dampen it
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
After the latest incident had been dealt with, there was plenty of improvement across the board, meaning both Lawson and Tsunoda were eliminated.
Lawson will start a place ahead of his Red Bull replacement having gone 14th on his return to Racing Bulls, while Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso also failed to make the top 10 shootout.
Lawson eked out of Q1 in 15th place, just 0.016s faster than the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, whose team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto was also eliminated.
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Esteban Ocon, having finished fifth last time out in China, had to settle for 18th on the grid this time around having been unable to match the pace of Bearman in the sister Haas.
Lance Stroll endured a miserable session, running off at Dunlop Curve when on a flying lap and will start at the back, with the rebuilt Alpine of Jack Doohan alongside him after his huge shunt in FP2 on Friday.
F1 Japanese GP – Qualifying results
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