Max Verstappen remains unbeaten in qualifying this Formula 1 season. The Red Bull driver also secured pole position for the fourth race. The Ferraris can’t keep up this time.
Fourth race, fourth pole position: World champion Max Verstappen will also start the race from the best starting position at the Japanese Grand Prix (Sunday, from 7 a.m. in the live ticker). The Red Bull star came out on top in qualifying on the iconic Suzuka circuit, just ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez and Lando Norris in the McLaren.
For Verstappen, it is the 36th pole of his Formula 1 career and the fifth in a row across all seasons. The dominator from the Netherlands is aiming for his third victory in a row in Japan on Sunday.
The recently strong Ferrari had no chance, Australian winner Carlos Sainz ended up in fourth place. His teammate Charles Leclerc disappointed in eighth place.
Lewis Hamilton in seventh and George Russell in ninth were also unable to keep up with the leaders in their Mercedes. Nico Hülkenberg in the Haas took a good starting position of twelfth.
Verstappen had won the first two races of the season, but two weeks ago in Australia he remained without points after a technical defect and Sainz took victory. Nevertheless, Verstappen leads the World Cup standings by four points over Leclerc.