Max Verstappen achieves the impossible. The world champion secures pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix and starts from the front of the grid in Suzuka for the fourth time in a row.
05.04.2025, 09:36
05.04.2025, 09:48
SDA
The sinecure was set. Even before qualifying for the third race of this Formula 1 season, everything seemed to be in favor of the duo from the McLaren racing team. The only question was who would come out on top in the internal duel. But neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri managed a flawless lap at the decisive moment.
Verstappen once again showed how it's done. The four-time world champion did this so well that he surprised everyone, including himself, with his final attempt. It was unbelievable what the Dutchman conjured up on the "rollercoaster" in Suzuka - in a car that the team had also deemed to be uncompetitive after the impressions gained in the previous three practice sessions.
But Verstappen once again proved everyone wrong. He once again made the impossible possible. "Only Max can do that," said Helmut Marko, Head of Motorsport at the Red Bull Group's racing organization, full of praise for the defending champion's performance.
In capturing pole position number 41, Verstappen won the three-way battle against the McLaren drivers by a wafer-thin margin. Norris, who will share the front row on the grid with him, was 12 thousandths slower. Piastri, in third place, was beaten by 44 thousandths.
Sauber drivers 16th and 17th
The Sauber drivers had an unpleasant season premiere. For the first time this year, both were eliminated in the first part of qualifying. The German Nico Hülkenberg, who missed out on advancing by two hundredths, and the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto will start from 16th and 17th on the grid on Sunday.
Qualifying took a little longer than planned. As in the free practice sessions, driving had to be interrupted for a short time due to a fire. Grass along the track caught fire again in the second section. This was again caused by sparks flying from the cars' contact with the ground.