There were many discussions around Red Bull Racing in the week leading up to the Japanese Grand Prix. From the swap between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson to the possibility of Max Verstappen becoming frustrated with the team, everyone had a lot to say. While people were busy talking, the reigning World Champion focused his attention on the race ahead and produced the fastest lap out of all twenty drivers.
From the moment the green light shined at the end of the pit lane, the qualifying turned into the McLaren show. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri dominated in Q1, constantly improving their times and jumping to the very top of the standings. They kept the momentum into Q2, with Norris achieving a time that no other drivers could even come close to. The British team was the undeniable favorite for pole, with the only question seemingly being which of its two drivers would be the one to take it.
The tide switched during Q3. Norris couldn’t repeat his performance from the session before, and his first lap was a few tenths away from Verstappen, Piastri, and Leclerc in the front. With only a few minutes left in the session, Piastri jumped to the first spot, hoping to start from the very front of the grid for the second week in a row. He was denied that chance by his teammate, who redeemed himself by taking a provisional pole and making tomorrow’s start a temporary McLaren 1-2.
It seemed like no one would be able to challenge Norris’ time until Verstappen put together a lightning-quick lap. Despite how unreliable and hard to drive the RB21 is, he managed to snatch the pole away from McLaren with a time of 1:26:983. He achieved his 4th consecutive pole in Suzuka and set an unofficial all-time track record.
When it comes to the other drivers from the two Red Bull-adjacent teams, the one who stood out the most was Isack Hadjar. From the very start of qualifying he complained about the fit of his seat. This led many viewers to believe that he wouldn’t be able to perform, and would most likely finish his day before Q2, let alone Q3. To the surprise of everyone, not only did he make it to the top ten, but he also out-qualified his racing hero, Lewis Hamilton. He will be starting the Grand Prix from the 7th spot on the grid.
The situation wasn’t as great for Tsunoda and Lawson. The two had been swapped after Lawson’s lackluster performance alongside Verstappen. Because of that, a lot of expectations were put on Tsunoda as he sat inside the RB21 for the first time. He seemed to feel at home inside it throughout the weekend, consistently matching Verstappen’s pace. He achieved a good time during Q1, but couldn’t repeat the feat in Q2.
In a somewhat ironic turn of events, Lawson also made it to Q2 for the first time this season and ended up outqualifying Tsunoda’s Red Bull. The two will be starting right next to each other in 13th and 14th. They both gained a place on the grid after Carlos Sainz was hit with a grid penalty for impeding Hamilton.
No matter what is happening at Red Bull Racing, they always have one secret weapon up their sleeve. Verstappen keeps proving why he is considered one of the best Formula One drivers, even when the car he’s given isn’t quite as quick as he would have liked. Will he be able to convert the pole into his first win of the season?
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