Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Motorsport
Motorsport
Sport
Charles Bradley

F1 qualifying results: Max Verstappen takes Japanese GP pole

Verstappen will start ahead of the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

However, Verstappen is under investigation by stewards for a near miss on his out-lap with McLaren’s Lando Norris in Q3.

UPDATE: Verstappen was reprimanded by stewards for the incident.

Japanese Grand Prix qualifying results: Verstappen on pole from Leclerc

Cla Driver Chassis Time Gap km/h
1 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull 1'29.304   234.090
2 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'29.314 0.010 234.064
3 Spain Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1'29.361 0.057 233.940
4 Mexico Sergio Perez Red Bull 1'29.709 0.405 233.033
5 France Esteban Ocon Alpine 1'30.165 0.861 231.854
6 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'30.261 0.957 231.608
7 Spain Fernando Alonso Alpine 1'30.322 1.018 231.451
8 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 1'30.389 1.085 231.280
9 Germany Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1'30.554 1.250 230.858
10 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren 1'31.003 1.699 229.719
11 Australia Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1'30.659 1.355 230.591
12 Finland Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1'30.709 1.405 230.464
13 Japan Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1'30.808 1.504 230.213
14 China Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1'30.953 1.649 229.846
15 Germany Mick Schumacher Haas 1'31.439 2.135 228.624
16 Thailand Alex Albon Williams 1'31.311 2.007 228.945
17 France Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1'31.322 2.018 228.917
18 Denmark Kevin Magnussen Haas 1'31.352 2.048 228.842
19 Canada Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1'31.419 2.115 228.674
20 Canada Nicholas Latifi Williams 1'31.511 2.207 228.444

What happened in Japanese Grand Prix Q1?

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez set the early bar at 1m30.622s, which was soon beaten by Verstappen’s 1m30.224s. Sainz got to within 0.112s for P2, with Leclerc in third, 0.178s off the pace.

Falling at the first hurdle were Alex Albon (Williams), a brake-troubled Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Nicholas Latifi (Williams).

Japanese Grand Prix Q1 results: Verstappen fastest from Sainz

Cla Driver Chassis Time Gap Interval km/h
1 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull 1'30.224     231.703
2 Spain Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1'30.336 0.112 0.112 231.416
3 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'30.402 0.178 0.066 231.247
4 Spain Fernando Alonso Alpine 1'30.603 0.379 0.201 230.734
5 Mexico Sergio Perez Red Bull 1'30.622 0.398 0.019 230.685
6 France Esteban Ocon Alpine 1'30.696 0.472 0.074 230.497
7 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 1'30.865 0.641 0.169 230.068
8 Australia Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1'30.880 0.656 0.015 230.030
9 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren 1'30.881 0.657 0.001 230.028
10 China Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1'30.894 0.670 0.013 229.995
11 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'30.906 0.682 0.012 229.965
12 Japan Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1'31.130 0.906 0.224 229.399
13 Germany Mick Schumacher Haas 1'31.152 0.928 0.022 229.344
14 Finland Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1'31.226 1.002 0.074 229.158
15 Germany Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1'31.256 1.032 0.030 229.083
16 Thailand Alex Albon Williams 1'31.311 1.087 0.055 228.945
17 France Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1'31.322 1.098 0.011 228.917
18 Denmark Kevin Magnussen Haas 1'31.352 1.128 0.030 228.842
19 Canada Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1'31.419 1.195 0.067 228.674
20 Canada Nicholas Latifi Williams 1'31.511 1.287 0.092 228.444

What happened in Japanese Grand Prix Q2?

Sainz set the early pace at 1m30.444s on used tyres, 0.042s faster than Leclerc. Verstappen then usurped them both with 1m30.346s.

Perez ran again on new tyres and went quickest on 1m29.925s, four tenths clear of Fernando Alonso’s Alpine.

Knocked out at this point were Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) and Mick Schumacher (Haas).

Japanese Grand Prix Q2 results: Perez fastest from Alonso

Cla Driver Chassis Time Gap Interval km/h
1 Mexico Sergio Perez Red Bull 1'29.925     232.473
2 Spain Fernando Alonso Alpine 1'30.343 0.418 0.418 231.398
3 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull 1'30.346 0.421 0.003 231.390
4 France Esteban Ocon Alpine 1'30.357 0.432 0.011 231.362
5 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'30.443 0.518 0.086 231.142
6 Spain Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1'30.444 0.519 0.001 231.139
7 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 1'30.465 0.540 0.021 231.086
8 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren 1'30.473 0.548 0.008 231.065
9 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'30.486 0.561 0.013 231.032
10 Germany Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1'30.656 0.731 0.170 230.599
11 Australia Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1'30.659 0.734 0.003 230.591
12 Finland Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1'30.709 0.784 0.050 230.464
13 Japan Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1'30.808 0.883 0.099 230.213
14 China Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1'30.953 1.028 0.145 229.846
15 Germany Mick Schumacher Haas 1'31.439 1.514 0.486 228.624

What happened in Japanese Grand Prix Q3?

On the first runs, Leclerc set the bar at 1m29.557s but Verstappen cleared it with 1m29.304s – although he had a run-in with Norris on their out-laps exiting 130R. Stewards will investigate the near miss after the session.

Sainz was third quickest, four tenths off the pace, with Perez in fourth.

On the final runs, Leclerc improved to 1m29.314s – but missed pole by 0.01s. Sainz also improved to 0.057s of Verstappen, who didn’t improve on his final run and damaged his car on the kerbs at the exit of Turn 2.

Perez will start fourth, ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, Alonso, George Russell (Mercedes), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) and Norris.

Japanese Grand Prix Q3 results: Verstappen takes pole

Cla Driver Chassis Time Gap Interval km/h
1 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull 1'29.304     234.090
2 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'29.314 0.010 0.010 234.064
3 Spain Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1'29.361 0.057 0.047 233.940
4 Mexico Sergio Perez Red Bull 1'29.709 0.405 0.348 233.033
5 France Esteban Ocon Alpine 1'30.165 0.861 0.456 231.854
6 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'30.261 0.957 0.096 231.608
7 Spain Fernando Alonso Alpine 1'30.322 1.018 0.061 231.451
8 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 1'30.389 1.085 0.067 231.280
9 Germany Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1'30.554 1.250 0.165 230.858
10 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren 1'31.003 1.699 0.449 229.719
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.