Japanese Grand Prix: World Champion Max Verstappen Grabs Pole Position

Reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen stormed to his fourth straight pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday, April 5, but his teammate Yuki Tsunoda had a disappointing debut for Red Bull.

Verstappen edged McLaren driver Lando Norris by 0.012 seconds in the final qualifying session with a new lap record of 1 minute, 26.983 seconds at the Suzuka Circuit. Chinese Grand Prix winner Oscar Piastri, also of McLaren, was third fastest in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture.

"Every lap that we did we built on and learned from," Verstappen said. "We maximized what we had, didn't make any mistakes in the lap and it was a great result in the end."

Japanese Grand Prix — *Max Verstappen is interviewed after qualifying. (Issei Kato/REUTERS)*

Added the Dutchman, "Pole [position] was a surprise for everyone as so far this year we have not been the best on race pace, so I am very happy for the team."

Verstappen, who has won the Japanese GP the last three years in a row, will be bidding for his first win of 2025 on Sunday.

Norris, who won the season-opening Australian GP, looked to have secured pole for the Suzuka race but was pipped by Verstappen at the last minute.

"I'm happy, congrats to Max," Norris said. "You have to credit something when it is a lap that good that he must have done. I got everything out of the car today, the gaps are tiny. Good, but not enough."

Tsunoda, who is making his debut for Red Bull after being promoted to the senior team in late March, had a poor first sector in Q2 and did not advance to Q3.

Tsunoda Maintains a Positive Outlook

The Japanese driver placed 15th, one spot behind Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, the man he replaced at Red Bull.

"I thought we would be able to build from Q1 but that wasn't the case," Tsunoda said. "At least my confidence in the car feels good now, I just wasn't able to put it together today and that is a shame. I think the positive is I have started to understand the car well."

Red Bull team principal and CEO Christian Horner looked on the positive side.

"It was unfortunate for Yuki, who just lost a couple of tenths in the first sector that cost him a chance of Q3," Horner said. "He's settled in well and has been right there all weekend until that moment. He will race well from there tomorrow."