Max Verstappen on pole for Japanese Grand Prix, Liam Lawson edges out Yuki Tsunoda

Max Verstappen has delivered pole position for Red Bull ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

Trailing Lando Norris by eight points after the opening two races, the defending champion was eager to make an impact in his Red Bull at a time when his team have already tinkered with their drivers lineup.

The Dutchman delivered on his final flying lap, edging out Championship leader Norris by just 0.012 seconds to finish quickest at Suzuka.

Oscar Piastri, in the second McLaren, was third, albeit only 0.044 seconds slower than Verstappen, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completing the second row.

Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli make up the third row, but Lewis Hamilton had to settle for eighth position in his Ferrari.

Max celebrates his first pole of the season 👏👏#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/hClm6CTR5i

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 5, 2025

Lawson outqualifies Tsunoda

Much of the headlines ahead of this weekend have been centred on Red Bull replacing Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda, with the pair switching their positions at Red Bull and RB respectively.

Red Bull expect Tsunoda to perform in the same Red Bull that Lawson struggled with, but the Japanese could only qualify in 15th place, one behind Lawson in the RB.

OUT IN Q2 👇

Not the session Yuki Tsunoda would have been hoping for 😢#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/L4DNfR2IzV

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 5, 2025

Fellow RB driver Isack Hadjar continued to show that he has shaken off the embarrassment of spinning out on the formation lap on his debut in Australia by qualifying in seventh.