Max Verstappen snatches pole from Lando Norris in F1 Japan GP qualifying
5th April 2025Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has sealed pole position for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, his first of the 2025 season.
Feature image credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
After two rounds of the 2025 championship and three qualifying sessions, Verstappen has finally secured his first pole position of the season. It also marks his fourth consecutive pole position at the venue since 2022, when the circuit returned to the calendar after the Coronavirus Pandemic.
It was not smooth sailing for the Dutchman as he did not look to be in a threatening position to take pole position from either of the McLaren duo, Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri.
However, on the final runs of qualifying, Verstappen managed to topple Norris from the top spot by the narrowest of margins, 0.012s, and the Dutchman broke the lap record with a 1:26.983.
Norris fastest in final practice of Japan GP despite grass fires
It would also be a great achievement for Red Bull, who are celebrating the event as it marks Honda’s last home race with the team before the power unit supplier moves over to Aston Martin in 2026.
The four-time world champion will now have the two McLarens starting directly behind him, in second and third with Norris and Piastri, respectively.
His new teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, did not manage to break into Q3 and found himself out-qualified in 15th, behind the man he replaced at the team, Liam Lawson, who now races for Racing Bulls.
Despite the turn of events for Verstappen, the circuit is a strong hunting ground for the Dutchman as he has secured every win at the Japanese GP since 2022.
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- Liam Lawson didn’t expect Red Bull axing ‘so early’
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
