Verstappen takes pole in Japan with a ‘mighty’ lap
The 25-year-old Dutch driver had been fastest throughout all three practice sessions at Suzuka and saved the best for qualifying, lapping with a final effort of one minute, 28.877 seconds.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri (left), Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris pose after the qualifying session
SUZUKA: Formula One leader Max Verstappen blew away all doubts about Red Bull’s enduring dominance on Saturday with a “mighty” pole lap in Japan ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
The 25-year-old Dutch driver had been fastest throughout all three practice sessions at Suzuka and saved the best for qualifying, lapping with a final effort of one minute, 28.877 seconds.
Australian rookie Piastri joined him on the front row but was a huge 0.581 off the Dutchman’s time. Verstappen, whose record run of 10 wins in a row ended in Singapore last weekend when he finished fifth, was the only driver to lap in the 1:28s and said it had been an incredible weekend so far.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose team is set to secure the constructors’ title on Sunday for a second year in a row even if Verstappen will have to wait for his third drivers’ crown, marvelled at what he had seen.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified fourth with Mexican Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s closest title rival and team-mate but 151 points adrift after 15 of 22 rounds, fifth and 0.773 off his team-mate’s pace. Carlos Sainz will line up sixth for Ferrari ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.