F1 Qualifying Results & Report 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

Event: Japanese Grand Prix
Track: Suzuka Circuit

Max Verstappen driving the Red Bull RB21 with special Japanese GP livery around Suzuka during qualifying

Weather: dry  14°C
Tarmac: dry  28°C
Humidity : 61%
Wind : 9 km/h

Max Verstappen scored the 41st F1 pole position of his career during the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix qualifying session today. It was his 1th pole of the season for the Red Bull driver and his fourth career P1 start on the Suzuka circuit. It was the 105th pole for Red Bull Racing. He also broke the qualifying record time that was on Sebastian Vettel's name since 

Verstappen Stuns McLarens with Suzuka Masterclass to Snatch Pole

Japanese GP 2025 Qualifying Report – Suzuka Circuit, Round 3

Suzuka Delivers: Tight Margins, Big Surprises, and Classic Quali Drama
If Suzuka Qualifying ever needed a hype man, this session did it all by itself. A Red Bull resurgence, McLaren muscle, Ferrari flair, and midfield mayhem—it was a reminder of why F1 fans around the world adore this iconic Japanese rollercoaster.

With just 0.012 seconds splitting the front row, Max Verstappen did what he does best: deliver when it counts. Despite a scruffy weekend plagued with understeer and frustrated radio messages, the reigning champ pulled a lap out of nowhere to clinch his fourth consecutive pole in Japan. And boy, did he earn it.

The Pole That Nearly Got Away

Heading into qualifying, McLaren were the favourites. Lando Norris topped final practice, Oscar Piastri looked razor-sharp, and the papaya boys had momentum on their side. But Verstappen and Suzuka go together like sushi and sake.

“I am surprised,” Max admitted, breathless after a wild final lap. “We kept improving each run, and in the end, I just went flat out. Suzuka in an F1 car? Absolutely insane.”

His lap—a 1m27.040s masterpiece—wrestled pole away from Norris by the tiniest of margins. Piastri, after a strong Q3 opener, couldn’t quite nail his final run and settled for P3.

McLaren Close, But Not Quite

Lando Norris wasn’t hiding his frustration post-session: “I gave it everything. The lap felt good, we were right on the edge. But Max found just that bit more.”

Piastri echoed the sentiment: “It felt great in Q3 early on, but I didn’t get the lap I wanted at the end. We’ve got pace for the race though, and we’ll be right in the fight.”

Despite missing out on pole, McLaren lock out row two and are very much in the game for Sunday’s Grand Prix. With potential rain looming and strong long-run pace, they might just have the upper hand.

The Grid Shakes Up: Ferrari and Mercedes Hanging On

Charles Leclerc took a tidy fourth, despite a self-confessed “rubbish” first sector. George Russell looked like a pole threat early on but a messy final corner saw him fifth.

The real surprise? Kimi Antonelli, in just his third F1 weekend, quietly slid into P6 for Mercedes—one place ahead of Isack Hadjar, who battled a seatbelt issue and still outqualified both his current and former teammates.

Lewis Hamilton could only manage P8 after sliding in Sector 1, while Alex Albon and Oliver Bearman rounded out the top ten, Bearman rebounding from an early mistake in Q3.

Big Names Fall in Q2 and Q1 Carnage

It wasn’t all sunshine and samurai swords. Some big names were caught out:

Carlos Sainz tangled with traffic and was eliminated in P12—and under investigation for impeding Hamilton.

Fernando Alonso couldn’t find the rhythm and was dumped in P13.

Yuki Tsunoda, on home soil in a Honda-liveried Red Bull, never got another shot after missing the flag. P15 for the fan favourite, and a steep mountain to climb on Sunday.

Pierre Gasly missed out by half a tenth, joining the Q2 casualty list.

And in Q1? Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Ocon, Doohan, and Stroll all bowed out early. Doohan’s tricky weekend continued after his FP2 crash, and Stroll, who took a gravel detour, wound up stone last.

A Final Shootout to Remember

The final minutes of Q3 were peak Suzuka. Bearman and Antonelli bolted out early. The top guns waited. The tension built. Verstappen’s first run looked vulnerable. Norris lit up Sector 1 in purple. Piastri was flying in the middle sector. But only Max stitched it together when it mattered.

Norris briefly went top. Then Verstappen crossed the line. Game over.

Tomorrow: Rain Threat and Racing Bulls Rebounding?

With weather uncertainty threatening to shake things up, tyre wear a major question mark, and the top six within striking distance, the 2025 Japanese GP is poised to be a thriller.

Can Verstappen convert another pole into victory at a circuit he owns? Will McLaren upset the party? And can Tsunoda give the home fans something to cheer about with a charge through the field?

Strap in. Sunday in Suzuka is going to be wild.

Qualifying Times 2025 Japanese GP

Quickest Sector Times

The fastest sectors times during this final practice were:

• Sector 1: 30.358 sec. by Lando Norris (McLaren MCL39)
• Sector 2: 39.197 sec. by Oscar Piastri (McLaren MCL39)
• Sector 2: 17.205 sec. by Oscar Piastri (McLaren MCL39)

1:28.197 min was the pole position time of last year, also set biy Max Verstappen, but then with the Red Bull RB20.

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