Verstappen beats Norris and Piastri to pole, grass fires strike again

Max Verstappen stormed to a surprise pole position at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix as the reigning world champion beat both McLarens to 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 four successive Suzuka pole.

Early championship leader Norris will start alongside the Dutchman having been pipped by just 0.012s, while Chinese GP race winner Piastri is third alongside Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.

Before Verstappen’s fine effort, it was the Mercedes who 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 Q1, 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 Haas driver Oliver Bearman.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Once again, the hour-long session descended into farce when a fourth red flag of the weekend for a trackside grass fire caused delays in Q2.

After the latest incident had been dealt with, there was plenty improvement across the board, meaning both Lawson and Tsunoda would be 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 0.016 seconds faster than the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, whose team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto was also eliminated.

Esteban Ocon, having finished fifth last time out in China after penalties were applied, 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 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.