Verstappen after Suzuka pole

F1 Today | Verstappen's pole shocks Alonso and Provisional starting grid

22:00, 05 Apr

byNorberto Mujica

GPblog brings you the round up of the best F1 news following the Saturday qualifying session in Suzuka where Max Verstappen snatched pole, leaving everyone in shock, including Fernando Alonso.

Alonso amazed at Verstappen's pole lap at Suzuka: 'No one else can do that'

Fernando Alonso shared his amazement at Max Verstappen's stunning pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix, hailing it as a "magical moment".

It looked like the battle for P1 would be between the two McLaren drivers, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri dominating the free practice sessions at Suzuka in the buildup to qualifying.

However, a simply sublime lap from Verstappen meant he clinched pole by +0.012 ahead of Norris in P2, finding pace in an RB21 that looked almost impossible.

"There is no other driver at the moment that can drive a car and put it so high," said the Spaniard in conversation with Viaplay.

"[The RB21] is higher than it deserves to be. It was a magical moment for everyone here to see."

Provisional Starting Grid GP Japan | Verstappen on pole, one grid penalty awarded

Max Verstappen pipped McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to pole for the Japanese Grand Prix. This is how the starting grid looks in Japan so far.

Max Verstappen left the entire Formula One world in shock after taking a vastly surprising pole at Suzuka in a complicated Red Bull ahead of Lando Norris' and Oscar Piastri's dominant McLaren cars.

Behind them Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a strong Isack Hadjar and Lewis Hamilton round off the top 8, with Alexander Albon and Oliver Bearman managing to squeeze their way into a fiercely disputed top 10.