In an unexpected turn of events, Max Verstappen left McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri behind to secure a pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Despite McLaren’s strong performance throughout the weekend, with wins from Norris and Piastri in the previous races, Verstappen’s Red Bull had struggled to match their pace in practice sessions. However, the Dutchman delivered an exceptional performance in qualifying, narrowly edging out Norris by just 0.012 seconds.
Following his incredible lap, Verstappen’s race engineer praised his achievement, hailing the lap as “insane.” Verstappen credited consistent improvements throughout the sessions and expressed determination for the upcoming race day.
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Norris, gracious in defeat, acknowledged Verstappen’s exceptional lap and anticipated an exciting race. Meanwhile, Piastri secured a third-place starting position, with Charles Leclerc of Ferrari lining up behind him.
The session also saw surprises and disappointments, with George Russell unable to challenge the front runners and Lewis Hamilton struggling to find pace in his Mercedes.
The qualifying session was marred by disruptions caused by grass fires at the track’s periphery, a recurring issue throughout the weekend. Safety measures were implemented by the FIA to address the situation, ensuring the smooth progression of the qualifying process.