F1 Qualifying Results: Verstappen quickest, Hamilton breaks duck as Perez makes history at Suzuka

Max Verstappen stormed to a fifth consecutive pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix but was challenged closely by team-mate Sergio Perez in the process.

Perez lost time in the last sector of his lap which cost him a shot at the top spot and left Verstappen to take his 36th pole in Formula 1 by a margin of just 0.066 seconds - he did however claim a slice of history with his first front row slow at Suzuka.

READ MORE: Ricciardo in HUGE smash with F1 rival as Japanese GP red-flagged

Lando Norris proved that McLaren have the pace to compete for a podium this weekend with third place - two tenths ahead of 2024 race winner Carlos Sainz in fourth.

Lewis Hamilton was unable to extract further pace from his Mercedes car and will line up in seventh place, sharing an all-2025 Ferrari fourth row with Charles Leclerc in eighth - but at least outqualified George Russell for the first time this year.

Home favourite Yuki Tsunoda was unable to lift himself from tenth but did put in a sensational lap during Q2 to make the final qualifying session in the first place.

READ MORE: F1 Results Today: Hamilton endures MORE misery after Ricciardo crash causes chaos

F1 Qualifying Results: Japanese Grand Prix 2024

1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] - 1:28.197s

2. Sergio Perez [Red Bull] - +0.066sec

3. Lando Norris [McLaren] - +0.292sec

4. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari] - +0.485sec

5. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] - +0.489sec

6. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] - +0.563sec

7. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] - +0.569sec

8. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] - +0.589sec

9. George Russell [Mercedes] - +0.811sec

10. Yuki Tsunoda [VCARB] - +1.216sec

ELIMINATED IN Q2

11. Daniel Ricciardo [VCARB]

12. Nico Hulkenberg [Haas]

13. Valtteri Bottas [Kick Sauber]

14. Alex Albon [Williams]

15. Esteban Ocon [Alpine]

ELIMINATED IN Q1

16. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin]

17. Pierre Gasly [Alpine]

18. Kevin Magnussen [Haas] 19. Logan Sargeant [Williams]

20. Zhou Guanyu [Kick Sauber]

How does F1 Qualifying work?

The 60-minute qualifying session is split into three finite windows which provides a dramatic prelude to Sunday's big race.

The bottom five drivers are eliminated at the end of Q1, with a further five eliminated after Q2.

Then Q3 gives us a shootout between the remaining 10 drivers in the battle for positions at the front of the grid.

READ MORE: F1 Schedule 2024: Full calendar with all you need to know about every grand prix

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Awkward silence at Bahrain Grand Prix as F1 make Max Verstappen blunder

• Today 14:00

Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli target Australia's iconic Bathurst 12 Hour race

• October 1, 2026 09:45

F1 Results Today: Lewis Hamilton produces stunning comeback after Bahrain Grand Prix chaos in Malaysia

• Today 12:27

Amended F1 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix starting grid with all late penalties in Sepang applied by the FIA

• Today 08:22

F1 Race Today: Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia start times, schedule, TV channel and FREE live stream

• Yesterday 22:29

Former Aston Martin boss claims struggling team is slower than F2 cars

• October 1, 2026 21:57