Round 3 of the 2025 Formula 1 season landed at the legendary Suzuka Circuit, delivering one of the most intense qualifying sessions in recent memory. With drama across all three sessions and mere hundredths separating the front runners, it all came down to the final flying laps.
Verstappen Grabs Pole in a Thriller
In the end, it was Max Verstappen who snatched pole position by the tiniest of margins — just 0.012s ahead of Lando Norris. Piastri, who had looked set for a fourth consecutive Suzuka pole, couldn’t improve on his final lap and had to settle for third, just ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen’s celebration over team radio was pure elation — no calm “simply lovely” this time. “That is insane, pole position,” came the call from his race engineer, and Max sounded every bit as fired up.
Q1: Shock Exits and Tight Margins
Nico Hülkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon, Jack Doohan, and Lance Stroll were eliminated in Q1, with just three-tenths separating the top from eighth. Kimi Antonelli showed good pace in sector three but lost time in sector one.
Q2: Red Flag Chaos and Midfield Surprises
A fire in the grass beside the track brought out an early red flag, interrupting a session where most drivers were on fresh tyres — except for the Ferraris, Tsunoda, and Bearman. Advancing to Q3 were both McLarens, Ferraris, Mercedes cars, and just one Red Bull — Verstappen’s, of course.
Oliver Bearman reached Q3 with Haas upgrades on board, and Isack Hadjar continued to impress, out-qualifying both his current and former teammates while battling a seatbelt issue.
Q3: Sliding, Mistakes, and a Nail-Biting Finish
Piastri initially went fastest with a 1:27.052, but as the track ramped up, the final laps reshuffled the order. Norris looked fast, going purple in sector one, but lost time in Turn 7. Bearman made a mistake in Turn 2, while Hamilton struggled with rear grip and could only manage eighth.
As the final shootout began, Russell made a small error in Turn 1 that cost him a chance at pole. In the end, Verstappen nailed it — just ahead of Norris, while Piastri couldn’t improve and had to settle for P3.
Top 10 Qualifying Results:
Max Verstappen – 1:27.040
Lando Norris – +0.012s
Oscar Piastri – front row streak ends at Suzuka
Charles Leclerc
George Russell
Kimi Antonelli
Lewis Hamilton
Isack Hadjar
Alex Albon
Oliver Bearman