Japanese GP qualifying: Max Verstappen says pole was 'very unexpected' - ESPN

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Tsunoda and Verstappen admit to Friday practice struggles in Japan (0:57)

Hear from Christian Horner, Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen after Red Bull’s Friday practice sessions in Japan. (0:57)

SUZUKA, Japan — Max Verstappen described his pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix as “very unexpected” after he defied the odds to beat the two McLaren drivers to the fastest time in qualifying.

The four-time world champion was 0.012 seconds faster than Lando Norris in second place, but said he was right on the limit of what his Red Bull was capable of.

“The last lap was just flat out,” he said. “Around here, being on the limit or maybe a bit over in places is incredibly rewarding.”

The remarkable lap follows a difficult start to the season for Red Bull in which the team has switched Liam Lawson out for Yuki Tsunoda due to Lawson’s difficulties getting to grips with the car.

Verstappen has also expressed his concerns about the car’s handling traits this year and said he did not expect to be fighting for pole position.

Max Verstappen took his fourth consecutive pole at Japan and first of 2025. Mario Renzi – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

“I think if you look at how our season started, even during this weekend, I think it’s very unexpected, I would say. And I think that makes it probably a very special one.”

Verstappen said he improved his confidence in the car over the course of the practice sessions, but some of the difficult traits were still present in qualifying and he simply had to put them to the back of his mind.

“It was a bit better,” he said. “I think that issue was a lot better today. But at the same time, I think, yeah, let’s say the through-corner balance is still what we need to work on.

“I think on low fuel over one lap, some bits you can mask a little bit. But yeah, it’s still not like I don’t go into the lap fully confident and comfortable.

“The last lap I was like, well, I’m just going to try not to feel uncomfortable. I though I’d just send it in and see what we get. But it’s very rare, of course, that a lap like that then can stick.”

Asked where around the lap he felt he had been right at the limit, Verstappen added: “I think [corner] entry, like the exit of Turn 1 into Turn 2, Turn 6, 7, 8, and then Spoon.

“Yeah, those places it was like, well, I hope it’s gonna stick! But yeah, it did.