Verstappen: Surprise pole in Suzuka is ‘what makes it special’

Max Verstappen erupted in pure elation after snatching pole position for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, yet the Dutchman admitted that Red Bull has yet to tame its car’s lingering gremlins, making his achievement all the more remarkable.

The four-time world champion outpaced McLaren rival Lando Norris by just 0.012s, with Oscar Piastri 0.044s adrift, dubbing his lap as one of his finest ever.

It was a defiant statement from a driver whose RB21 had struggled with balance issues throughout the 2025 season’s early races.

The Unexpected Glory

In the buildup to qualifying, McLaren’s dominant form in free practice and Red Bull’s ongoing handling woes suggested Verstappen’s streak of three consecutive Suzuka poles might end.

After a lackluster showing through Q1 and Q2, few expected the Dutchman to pull off a miracle. But in the crucible of Q3’s final moments, Verstappen delivered.

"There was a lot of happiness when I crossed the line," he said, his voice still buzzing with adrenaline. "We just tried to keep improving our situation a bit. I was fully committed everywhere."

Reflecting on the lap, Verstappen savored its significance against the odds.

"I've had some really nice poles in other places but if you look at how our season started it was a surprise and that makes it a very special one," he remarked.

The lap wasn’t just fast – it was a high-wire act of precision and bravery.

"On the exit of Turn 1 into 2, six, seven, eight and then Spoon it was like: 'Well I hope it's going to stick'. But it did and when I crossed the line I could see my name pop up," he recounted.

"I also knew that Oscar was still behind me, but I was already just very happy with what I did there because I didn't expect to be even close, so that was a nice moment."

A Lap Born of Instinct

What made the pole even more exhilarating was its sheer improbability. Verstappen’s radio erupted with roars of joy as he defied expectations, a moment of catharsis after a weekend where Red Bull had been on the back foot.

"It's very rare that a lap like that can stick, but this time it worked well," he said, marveling at how every risk paid off.

"So the last time I was like: 'Well, I'm just going to send it in and see what we get,'" he admitted, a grin tugging at his lips as he recalled the gamble.

That audacity turned a half-second deficit from Q2 into a pole-winning masterpiece, a testament to Verstappen’s ability to wring every ounce of performance from a car that hadn’t felt fully cooperative.

But while the result sparked celebration, Verstappen remained grounded, quick to temper the euphoria with a dose of reality about the RB21’s unresolved flaws.

"It was a lot better than Friday but the through corner balance is still what we need to work on," he explained.

"On low fuel over one lap some bits you can mask a little bit, but I still don't go into the lap fully confident and comfortable. So the last time I was like: 'Well, I'm just going to send it in and see what we get.'

• Read also: Norris says McLaren 'on the limit of what we had' in Q3

"It's very rare that a lap like that can stick, but this time it worked well. But we know that we have some issues that we want to solve; it's clearly not easy to solve them at the moment."

Suzuka’s high-speed sweeps and technical demands had exposed the RB21’s weaknesses, and while Verstappen’s talent papered over the cracks for one lap, Sunday’s Grand Prix looms as a sterner test.

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