In an electrifying performance, Max Verstappen secured pole position on Saturday for the Japanese Grand Prix, fueled by his determination to claim a third consecutive world championship title.
Coming off a fifth-place finish at the previous Singapore Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver stormed ahead on the Suzuka circuit, setting a blistering lap time of 1 minute and 28.877 seconds, leaving McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris trailing in his wake.
Verstappen was quick to put the past behind him, stating, "Singapore didn't happen." He expressed his fiery motivation for a successful weekend, affirming, "I'm very fired up to have a good weekend here."
Reflecting on his car's performance, Verstappen added, "As soon as we put the car on the track, it's been very enjoyable to drive, very predictable, which I think is the most important." He highlighted the steady improvement in his laps during the qualifying session.
With a commanding lead of 151 points over his teammate Sergio Perez in the championship standings, Verstappen acknowledged that he couldn't clinch the title on Sunday, but a favorable result would pave the way for a potential championship win at the Qatar Grand Prix next month. His incredible season record includes 12 victories out of 15 races, with a record-breaking streak of 10 consecutive wins.
Verstappen also emphasized the possibility of helping Red Bull secure the constructors' championship in Japan, stating, "That was the aim, especially coming from Singapore, I wanted to have a really strong weekend."
He reveled in the high-speed curves of Suzuka after the confines of the Singapore street circuit, expressing his enjoyment of pushing the limits on the well-balanced track.
In the battle for pole position, Australian rookie Oscar Piastri claimed second place with a lap time of 1 minute and 29.458 seconds. He expressed his satisfaction with his performance and hoped for a strong weekend.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris of McLaren secured the third-fastest time, trailing Piastri by a mere 0.035 seconds. Norris, who had finished second in Singapore, had a positive outlook on the weekend, acknowledging that the race at Suzuka wouldn't be easy.
The qualifying session also saw Ferrari's Charles Leclerc taking fourth place, ahead of Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell claimed seventh and eighth places, respectively.
Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda thrilled the home crowd by securing ninth place in his AlphaTauri, ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
Qualifying brought disappointment for some, as Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, and Kevin Magnussen were all eliminated in Q2.
The first qualifying session was briefly halted when Logan Sargeant's Williams car crashed at the final corner. Fortunately, Sargeant escaped unhurt, although his car suffered significant damage. Sargeant was joined by Zhou Guanyu, Valtteri Bottas, Nico Hulkenberg, and Lance Stroll in Q1 elimination.
