Results

2023 F1 Japanese GP qualifying results: Verstappen takes pole

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, as Logan Sargeant crashed his Williams out of Q1 and caused a red flag.

Verstappen will start ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in Sunday’s race after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

Japanese Grand Prix grid: Verstappen on pole from Piastri

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'28.877
2	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'29.458	0.581
3	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'29.493	0.616
4	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'29.542	0.665
5	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'29.650	0.773
6	55	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Ferrari	1'29.850	0.973
7	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'29.908	1.031
8	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'30.219	1.342
9	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.303	1.426
10	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'30.560	1.683
11	40	Liam Lawson	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.508	1.631
12	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'30.509	1.632
13	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'30.537	1.660
14	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'30.586	1.709
15	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas/Ferrari	1'30.665	1.788
16	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo/Ferrari	1'31.049	2.172
17	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'31.181	2.304
18	27	Nico Hülkenberg	Haas/Ferrari	1'31.299	2.422
19	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo/Ferrari	1'31.398	2.521
20	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams/Mercedes	-	-

What happened in Japanese Grand Prix Q1?

Verstappen set the pace at 1m29.878s, with Norris getting within 0.185s on 1m30.063s, before Logan Sargeant planted his Williams in the tyrewall at the final corner and caused a red flag.

Falling at the first hurdle were Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) and the uninjured Sargeant.

Japanese Grand Prix Q1 results: Verstappen fastest from Norris

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay	Laps
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'29.878		3
2	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'30.063	0.185	3
3	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'30.393	0.515	5
4	40	Liam Lawson	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.425	0.547	10
5	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'30.439	0.561	5
6	55	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Ferrari	1'30.651	0.773	5
7	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'30.652	0.774	6
8	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.733	0.855	6
9	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'30.811	0.933	6
10	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'30.811	0.933	6
11	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'30.843	0.965	6
12	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'30.941	1.063	6
13	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'30.960	1.082	6
14	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'30.971	1.093	6
15	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas/Ferrari	1'30.976	1.098	6
16	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo/Ferrari	1'31.049	1.171	5
17	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'31.181	1.303	7
18	27	Nico Hülkenberg	Haas/Ferrari	1'31.299	1.421	6
19	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo/Ferrari	1'31.398	1.520	6
-	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams/Mercedes	-	-	2

What happened in Japanese Grand Prix Q2?

Leclerc set the quickest time towards the end of the session at 1m29.940s for P1, 0.024s ahead of Verstappen.

Knocked out at this point were AlphaTauri’s Liam Lawson (by 0.043s), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Alex Albon (Williams), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Kevin Magnussen (Haas).

Japanese Grand Prix Q2 results: Leclerc fastest from Verstappen

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay	Laps
1	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'29.940		6
2	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'29.964	0.024	3
3	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'29.965	0.025	6
4	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'30.040	0.100	6
5	55	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Ferrari	1'30.067	0.127	6
6	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'30.122	0.182	3
7	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.204	0.264	6
8	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'30.268	0.328	6
9	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'30.296	0.356	3
10	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'30.465	0.525	6
11	40	Liam Lawson	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.508	0.568	6
12	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'30.509	0.569	6
13	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'30.537	0.597	6
14	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'30.586	0.646	6
15	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas/Ferrari	1'30.665	0.725	3

What happened in Japanese Grand Prix Q3?

On the first runs, Verstappen set the benchmark at 1m29.012s, four tenths ahead of Piastri and Norris.

On the final runs, Verstappen improved to 1m28.877s but the McLarens couldn’t go faster. The second Red Bull of Sergio Perez could only manage fifth, behind Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).

Singapore GP winner Carlos Sainz will start sixth for Ferrari, ahead of the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) and Fernando Alonso (Aston) rounded out the top 10.

Japanese Grand Prix Q3 results: Verstappen takes pole

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay	Laps
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'28.877		6
2	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'29.458	0.581	6
3	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'29.493	0.616	6
4	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'29.542	0.665	3
5	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'29.650	0.773	6
6	55	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Ferrari	1'29.850	0.973	3
7	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'29.908	1.031	6
8	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'30.219	1.342	3
9	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT	1'30.303	1.426	6
10	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'30.560	1.683	3