In Suzuka, Japan, Formula One world champion Max Verstappen secured pole position for the third consecutive year at the Japanese Grand Prix, with teammate Sergio Perez qualifying in second place to complete a Red Bull front-row lockout. McLaren’s Lando Norris will start the race in third position on Sunday.
Verstappen, aiming for his third successive victory in Japan, made history by becoming the first driver to claim pole position in the opening four races of a season since Lewis Hamilton achieved the feat nine years ago. He set the pace with a lap time of one minute 28.197 seconds.
“It was very close in the end, but the most important thing is to be on pole. Of course, you want every lap to be perfect, but at a track like this, it’s not always possible,” said the Dutch driver.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualified in fourth place, while his teammate Charles Leclerc struggled with a challenging drive, leading to his starting position in eighth on Sunday. “That’s the best I can do. Honestly, I don’t understand,” expressed Leclerc over the team radio.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, celebrating his 23rd birthday on Saturday, finished in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, both driving for Mercedes, secured seventh and ninth place on the grid. Local favorite Yuki Tsunoda received a warm reception from the crowd as he managed to qualify for the final round of qualifying, securing the tenth spot for the race tomorrow.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
